Won't Back Down
by SergeantJohnston
Summary: When Melody Johnston refuses to open up about anything, Captain John "Soap" MacTavish makes sure to uncover her secrets. But what he didn't know was that he might uncover some of his own secret feelings SoapXOC warning MW3 Spoilers! But enjoy and R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Twenty-three year old Melody Johnston stood there in the blazing heat of the TF 141's secret base outside of Afghanistan. Her long brown hair that usually hung long and loose down her shoulders now was tied together on the back of her sweaty head in a rubber band. She wore her usual training wear. A surprisingly bright white tank top and shorts. She popped in her headphones and began to listen to an old familiar rap song. She mouthed the words while releasing her anger upon the dummy in front of her. She finally got word from her father. Well, actually it was just her letter sent back to her. Why did her own father hate her? She nearly punched someone in the face as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Her captain, MacTavish, caught her fist as he ducked from her anger. She took out her headphones and made a face.

"God, MacTavish. Don't do that!" She said putting the song on pause.

"C'mon Mells, you know you're happy to see me." He said giving her a smile.

"Yeah, sure." She joked crossing her arms over her chest, smiling. "Was there something you wanted or did you just felt like getting hit?" She asked giving him a cocky look.

"Price said to gear up. We're heading out." He said rubbing his neck.

"Heading out? Where are we going?" She asked suddenly interested.

"A neighborhood somewhere in Chicago. If our Intel is any good, Makarov was spotted entering and leaving the home. The house was burnt after he left. "MacTavish said leaning against the punching dummy with his shoulder pressed against the dummy's.

"There wasn't a family inside there, right?" She asked arching an eyebrow warily.

He didn't say anything. He just gave her a look. She knew that look.

"Ok. When are we leaving?" She asked taking off her gloves and tossing them towards a member of her squad.

"Tonight." He said glancing at the private who stared a little bit longer than necessary at his commander, Melody.

She looked back at the private. "Private, I suggest you keep your eyes on someone else. Now get busy, and I'm telling all of my squad, get prepared. Hope you guys like the windy city." She said grinning at them. MacTavish smirked.

MacTavish and Melody had been friends for a while. It had been almost a year since Melody first agreed to join Price and his, then small team in search of Makarov. Price had known Melody ever since she was just a toddler. He knew of her hard childhood, harsh and cruel father and her mother dying just months after she had Krista Ann, Melody's younger sister. Melody's father, Gen. Johnston, left both her and her mother and sister. He wanted a son. Someone he could train to be some kind of "super solider". He was very much disappointed in the results when he had two daughters. But, in hopes that General's traits had been passed on still, he sent for Melody. At the age of four, she was sent to a training facility run by none other than her father. She could still remember everything,

_Melody shivered in her tan fur boots as she trudged alongside a tall, quiet man. He seemed pretty old and wore dark sunglasses. Making it completely impossible to see his eyes, especially in this dark hallway. It was freezing inside the facility. Melody didn't know why she was her except that she was going to be with her father now. She honestly was scared to live with him now. All she could remember then of her father was the constant yelling at her mother of their never-ending fights and the shamed look on his face if she messed up or did something embarrassing to him. All she wanted was the approval of him, to know that he loved her. But she didn't think she would ever see that. She thought that maybe, just maybe, she would win his approval and love from him if she did the best here at her new home. She was practically drug by the tall distant man to the door at the end of the hallway, leading to her father's office. Her big brown eyes took in everything around her. The faded green walls, and leather couches sat beside doors. Depressed children and young men sat there staring at the newest "victim" of the facility. Melody was terrified of becoming one of them, but she did her best to not think about it. Her long salmon pink coat hung over one shoulder, still wet because it was in the middle of being washed when she was pulled from her previous home. It was a chilly autumn evening also, so that made her boots wet as she stepped through puddles from outside and hissing through her teeth at the sudden chill soaking through her socks touching her toes. Her hair was wet because her nanny, Drew, had tried to make her look nice when she met her father, but they came earlier than expected so her hair still dripped from her bath and she was dressed in her pajama bottoms and favorite blue T-shirt reading, "Hello, my name is Trouble" in glittered words. They finally made it to her father's office. The man knocked on the door and Melody could hear her father's muffled voice from the other side, telling them to come in. She wiped her frozen nose on her sleeve as she entered the room. The man left as soon as Melody sat on the small couch in the office, staring at her father's back as he continued to stare out the window. _

"_Hi, daddy." Melody said shyly._

"_Melody, from now on, you will call me General or sir. There is no room for any school girl talk around here. What happened to you? Doesn't that nanny of yours ever dress you properly? You look terrible." He scolded at her appearance._

_She hung her head. "I'm sorry, Da- I mean, sir." She said correcting herself._

"_Where's your mother? She needs to be present at this time." He said taking a seat at his desk, shaking off her sad apology. _

_She felt the pain of losing her mother a second time. She could feel the tears begin to well up in her eyes. "She's….she's." She began, unable to continue._

"_Well, spit it out, Melody. Speak properly." General Johnston said with an annoyed tone in his voice._

"_She's dead, sir." She said, tears running down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly before her could see. _

_From the corner of her eye, she could see an almost shocked and, what was that? A sad look? Melody was surprised to see it on his face._

"_Oh, I see." He just said turning away from her and pressing a button on the phone next to him. A woman's voice came from the other end. "Margaret, take Melody to her room. Now." He ordered._

"_Yes, sir. Right on it." The woman, Margaret, answered._

_Before Melody left, General gave her a suitcase. It was full of uniforms and boots in her size. She arched an eyebrow at the contents. _

_He looked at her. "What is it?" He asked seeing her eye it suspiciously._

"_Um, it's just that there are no toys. I can't sleep without my teddy bear. Drew made sure that it was sent with me. Can I have it, please?" She asked, her brown eyes practically begging him. She was terrified to be here. She at least wanted one thing from home. And her mother gave her that bear when she was just a baby. It was the last thing she had. Well, besides her charm bracelet. _

"_I got rid of it. You don't need that silly bear. You will be fine. Now, go with Margaret. Dinner will be at seven sharp. If you're late, then you're not eating. And for you being young, lights out and in bed by eight thirty. Is that understood?"_

_Melody didn't really pay attention of what he said. She was more concerned about her bear. "But my momma gave me that bear! Why did you get rid of it! I want my bear!" She screamed at him. She thought it would get her her bear. Her mother used to scream at him to leave and he always did. She thought that he just did what she said when she screamed. Instead of the welcoming softness of her bear in her arms, she felt his hand slap her mouth. She fell back onto the couch, completely shocked that he hit her._

"_If you can't learn to show some respect around those in charge then you will go without both dinner tonight and breakfast. I better not hear you act so childishly again, do you hear me?" He said leaning closer to her. _

_She could still feel his stinging hand across her mouth and she began to cry. _

"_Do you understand?" He demanded again._

"_Yes." She finally said through sobs. Tears ran down her cheeks. She already hated it here. She wanted to go home. She wanted her nanny Drew to take her away from this awful place and take her back to her home and her old comfy bed and sing to her. Melody wasn't expecting to find that here. The woman came in the room. She seemed nice. By the way she tried to make Melody welcomed and happy. _

"_Margaret. Don't spoil the child. She needs to learn that she can't expect everything to go her way. It's the only way she'll learn." Mr. Johnston said rubbing his temple as he watched her speak kindly and tell her everything was going to be fine. _

"_Yes, sir." She said and led me out the door then added under her breath. "Only way she'll learn my foot" annoyed. _

_After a couple of minutes of silence, Melody looked up at the tall blonde woman above her. "Ma'am? Can I ask a question, please?" Melody asked in her small child voice._

_Hearing Melody's voice interrupted Margaret's thoughts. She looked down at the child with a smile. "Yes, Melody." She said._

"_Do you think he'll ever love me?" She asked. A sad look twinkled in her eyes. _

_Margaret couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor little girl. Most of the children here were either orphans or those who needed discipline. Margaret could already tell that Melody wasn't both. But the girl's question unnerved her some. She didn't know what to tell her. She wanted to say yes and calm the frightened girl's thoughts just as much as she did with any other child here. But that would be lying. _

"_I don't know sweetie." She just said wrapping an arm around the shivering girl's shoulder comforting her. _

_Once inside Melody's new room, Margaret stood there watching her look around. She was the youngest "recruit" they have ever had here. She was innocent. This girl deserved much more than she was going to be given here. Margaret hated it here. She grew up in the same place also. Just some years older than Melody. _

"_Stay here." Margaret quickly said then turned and walked away._

"_Woof." Melody said putting up her hands like a begging dog._

_Melody ran her hands on the scratchy purple blanket. She frowned. Nothing like Drew's quilts. Margaret came back in, hands behind her back with a smile planted on her lips. Melody arched an eyebrow. _

"_What is it, Miss. Margaret?" She asked sitting on the bed._

"_You can call me Margaret. And I think you do need this." She said revealing her old tan teddy bear._

_Her mouth widened. She jumped off the bed and dashed over to her, wrapping her arms around her waist. _

"_Thank you, Margaret!" She squealed._

_She laughed. "You're welcome sweetie!" She said stroking the child's now damp hair._

_Though Margaret knew that General Johnston was going to be furious with her, she didn't care. She wanted to help this poor kid. That night at dinner, Margaret sat with her. Making sure that she ate enough and that she was warm. Just like a mother would do. Bedtime came and Melody sat under her blankets looking up at Margaret as she straightened the sheets and tucked her in._

"_Margaret? Can you sing me my lullaby?" Melody asked clutching her bear._

_Margaret stopped then looked slowly over to the girl. "I don't know what your lullaby is, sweetie?" She said sitting on the edge of the bed._

"_It's easy. Here, I'll start it out and you write it down." She said with a smile and grabbed the woman's laptop on her dresser. _

"_Ok." Margaret said with a chuckle._

_Melody cleared her throat and in her small childish voice began to sing._

"_A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella  
>Mi niña tiene sueno bandito sea, bandito sea<em>

_A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella  
>Mi niña tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea.<em>

_Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora  
>Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora<br>Calla mientras la cuna se balansea  
>A la nanita nana, nanita ella<em>

_A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella  
>Mi niña tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea.<em>

_Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora  
>Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora<br>Calla mientras la cuna se balansea  
>A la nanita nana, nanita ella."<em>

_Instead of typing it down, she used her webcam to record her singing it in hopes that she might learn it._

"_Ok, sweetie. I'll try to learn this for you. But for now, you need to sleep. You're getting up at 5:30. Good night." She said tucking her in again and kissing her forehead._

"_Ok, Miss. Margaret." She said yawning._

_Margaret smiled. She felt so protective of this child. As if she was her own. But she wasn't. She was the General's. She might as well have been hers. As she walked down the cold empty hall, all that could be heard was her heels as they stepped on the wooden floor._


	2. Chapter 2

Melody strapped on her armor as the chopper slowed down to the landing. Her youngest private sat there struggling to get his on. Melody groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Learn how to get that shit on, private!" She said stepping over and helping.

"Sorry, sir. I mean, ma'am." He said awkwardly correcting himself.

She rolled her eyes and slapped his helmet head.

MacTavish chuckled. "Go easy on the kid, Mells." He said watching her shove a magazine into her gun.

She did what her father did years ago. "Don't wanna spoil him. The Russians won't be as forgiving. We give them one luxury than they become soft, weak. Then they're dead!" She growled.

Cpl. Dunn and Sgt. Foley (their newest team members) exchanged a look.

Being around her father all her life and his cold and harsh punishments made her think that's just how it goes. Screw up and it comes back and slaps you in the face. Sometimes, even worse than that. MacTavish noticed this in their past year together. She never lightened up or went to the bars with everyone. Instead, she just stayed behind working out or something. He found her in the shooting area one night after everyone came back. MacTavish the only sober and awake one. She stood there, holding a desert eagle, pointing it a target. He looked over and noticed a picture of an old General covering the face. She narrowed her eyes and let a snarl pull at her lips. She shot the target two times in the chest then once in the face.

"Damn! Who pissed you off?" He asked.

She gasped and spun the pistol on him.

"MacTavish, you scared the shit outta me." She said putting the pistol back down at the table beside her.

He arched an eyebrow. "Me? Scared you? Look at that target!" He joked giving her a cocky look.

She just rolled her eyes at the captain's comment and took her pistol and headed for the door. He caught her arm, forcing her to turn around.

"Wait!" He said.

Melody spun around, taking his arm and twisted around to his back. "Never touch me again!" She snarled. She never liked touch. Not after that night… She shook the memory off and pushed his body away from hers.

MacTavish didn't seem too shocked about her strange outburst. Melody furrowed her eyebrows. She was used to people usually running off from her when she attempted to hurt and or scare them. Weird.

"Well, what do you want!" She growled crossing in her arms in anger.

He put up his hands in surrender. "Just an explanation." He said calmly.

"For what?" She demanded.

"For you backing out on the invitation." He said leaning on the wall beside her. Strangely closer than she liked. His chest was practically in her face. When she caught herself staring at it longer than wanted she snapped her head up.

"I didn't back out. I choose not to go. Big difference." She said raising an eyebrow boastingly.

"Oh, really?" He scoffed.

"Yes. Now get that through your thick skull." She said pointing the, now empty, pistol at him.

He had to admit, she was amusing. Some may have found it threatening; he just chuckled at her attempts of scaring.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart." He mused in her ear.

She huffed, letting her mouth gap open. She turned and punched him the arm. "Don't call me sweetheart, Scotland!" She yelled watching him walk away to the compound. She heard his distant chuckle in the echo of the street. She growled, chasing after him. Being alone at night, her most secret fear. He half turned, hearing her footsteps around the corner.

"What? Scared of the dark, princess?" He asked with a grin.

"No! And don't call me princess!" She said angrily.

That just made him chuckle again.

They walked for another quiet ten minutes. MacTavish was bored and Melody practically ran in front of him.

"Hey, where's the fire? Slow down. You're not missing any sale." He teased behind her. Her long hair swayed across her straight lean, back.

He heard her aggravated murmur. Something about stupid Scottish bastards. He chuckled once more. A cool breeze came and swept pass them. Melody shoved her frozen fingers in her pockets, causing the back of her jacket to raise some and reveal a small part of her lower back. Just enough to catch MacTavish's eye as he spotted a colorful butterfly across her back bone.

'Oh this is too good.' He thought, a smile stretching across his face. "Nice tattoo you got back there!" He called to her.

Melody's eyes grew wide. She gasped, sounding like a child, and quickly spun around, pressing her hands against her lower back. But it was too late, he already saw it. He stopped in his tracks and started howling with laughter as her usually tan cheeks turned a bright crimson.

"Shut up, Scotland!" She said embarrassingly pulling her brown jacket down, removing the tattoo from sight.

He stopped to say something, trying to regain his breath. He tried to give her a serious face, but a smile crept along his face once again.

"Ugh!" She groaned, turning and picking up her fast pace again.

MacTavish, attempting to recover from laughing, chased her back down. "Oh, come on Mells. It's just a tattoo. What's the big deal?" He asked laughing at her furious expression.

She just ignored him, not even turning her head in his direction.

MacTavish, faking a taken aback look, crossed his large arms. "Oh, so you're taking the immature route on this?" He said now a little annoyed at her behavior. He rolled his eyes.

"Lighten up, Mells. What's your problem?" He asked shoving his freezing fingers in his jacket pocket.

She spun around viciously. She immediately placed a glare on her face. "Oh, what's my problem? My problem, _sir_, is you! You can never keep you're damn nose out of my business. I swear, you're always so close to me you can hear my cells dividing!" She screamed at him, pushing him back into a wall angrily.

Normally, anyone would fear this girl. He couldn't blame anyone who did. But he wasn't. She was an angry independent girl. Someone who did not give a damn about rules or what people thought of her. Good or bad. Kind of a turn on. He just started chuckling at her. Hoping to lighten the mood. But it was like putting gasoline to a flame. She just groaned and walked away angrily, disappearing behind a corner. He smiled and walked after her, finding her gone.

"Damn she's fast." He said to himself.

He shook his head at the memory, stealing a look at Melody. Ramirez awkwardly leaned over to his Captain and whispered;

"She's doing it again!" He said with an annoyed tone.

There were sometimes when she just seemed like to shut down all together. She would stare forever into space, sometimes uttering something under her breath. And she did this weird twitching thing with her lips or eyebrows.

"I didn't. No!" She uttered, eyebrows twitching, and holding her head in her hands. Rubbing at her temples as if she could rub it away, the voices.

Price told them they were there. Everyone gripped their guns and prepped to immediately jump the chopper when they landed. Melody still sat there, continuing to stare into the metal frame of the chopper. He sighed and reached over and tapped her shoulder.

She flinched and nearly jumped out of her seat.

"We're here." He simply said tossing her gun to her.

She took it between her hands, examining. She then smiled. "AK-47. My absolute favorite."

He returned her smile. "We've already seen you without it. Don't need another disaster." He teased.

"Shut up!" She said jumping up and punching his arm.

Everyone immediately jumped out, the strong wind of the chopper's blade whipping at the half-burned flag in the front yard of the home. It was a simple two story. Beige brick, birdbath, and a large oak tree holding a broken swing. There must have been children here, seeing the wooden wagon and burnt dolls and teddy bears scattered across the ground next to a swing set. Melody furrowed her eyebrows at the scene. She followed the men as they crossed the yard, using C4 to open the door. She heard a small cry burst from the other side. They couldn't still be alive? Could they? She brought up her gun, checking her corners. Once marking the room as clear, Melody set out for the voice, completely forgetting about her team. She preferred to do things alone. She couldn't handle the pressure of the young men and women's lives in her hands. She walked upstairs, never letting her gun down or rest at her hip. Checking the place, she looked on the walls. Frames of smiling families and dimple faced children hung on the wall. She scoffed at one as a blue eyed baby boy sat in a box, showing off his dimples to the camera. Curly jet black hair hung and looped around the top of his head, resting at his ears. He looked maybe two or three. She felt like she wanted to protect the boy, feeling something she never felt before. Pity. If this boy had died in the fire, she didn't want to see it. Two doors lined each wall. One was a bathroom. Clear. She then carefully checked the other room. A playroom or nursery. She gasped, nearly letting the gun drop at her side as she took in the sight. Blood scattered the walls, leaving white sheets and blankets drenched in the salty substance. A woman lay on her stomach, a hole in her back. Forced entry. She then looked into the crib. The small figure was what caught her eye. She rushed over to the crib, ripping the blanket from the form. The same baby boy from the picture lay before her. She wanted to cry as she saw the poor thing covered in blood, but nearly sang in rejoice as his chest began to rise. She took of her vest, throwing it on the floor. She took the least stained sky blue blanket she could find and carefully took the resting child in her arms, holding him close to her. His jet black hair was mopped with blood. She could feel his tiny heartbeat on her shoulder. She then strapped the gun to her back and walked out the door. She remembered the two other doors and placed the baby in the far corner, wrapping him protectively in his blanket and pulled the gun off her back. Once again, no hostile was in. But she did see an image that made her scream. A small girl lay in the bed, brown hair mopped in blood, eye wide and mouth gaped open. A small clean hole piercing her skull. Feeling a sudden urge, she ran out of the room and grabbed the boy, now awake and screaming. She tried to calm the boy, doing her best to brush away his curls from his face, cradling him in her arms as she whispered calm things to him. Her team, hearing her scream, dashed upstairs, guns at the ready. They found her sobbing, clutching the blanketed boy. MacTavish ran to her and immediately got to one knee, placing an arm on her shoulder.

"Melody. What's wrong! Are you alright!" He demanded, looking over her. He didn't even notice the boy in her arms. Past her tears and blurred vision, she looked up at him.

"Why? Why would anyone do this! They were innocent!" She screamed at him. She slowly looked over at the door, refusing to look inside. He followed her gaze, slowly looking away from her face. While he stood up and walked into the room, she noticed something print on the door.

Our Princess, Isabella's room

The girl, Isabella, probably had a future. Young and so innocent. Never going to see what things were really like. Only to be brought down in lies and cruelty. She didn't deserve this death. She saw the pictures on her walls. All about her family and princesses. She felt the boy stir in her arms. He looked up at her with icy blue eyes. It dawned on her. She knew why she felt connected to him. She was like him. All alone, parents dead. Well, not really, but dead to her. He reached up, twisting his small chubby fingers in her long brown hair. She pulled one her best smile. He returned, revealing some small square teeth. Sgt. Foley and Price walked over to her. Price sat on one knee beside her, handing a long thin blue book. A family record.

"His name is Charles Tanner. Charlie for short." He said looking down at the boy who stared up at him, reaching out to touch his face. He chuckled at the boy, making him giggle in return. She smiled at the sound. She slowly stood up, placing him on her hip, as she attempted to flip through the pages. MacTavish walked out, seeing her with the boy. He giggled and stretched out with all his might to him, staring at his head. She smiled looking at MacTavish.

"He is funny looking isn't he, Charlie?" She cooed in his ear.

He gave her a look. "Ha-ha very funny."

Charlie giggled and turned back to Melody. He placed his head on her shoulder again.

"Looks like someone's been making friends." MacTavish said resting his hand on his hip. Ramirez stared at the woman, watching her. Along with everyone. They were all shocked at the motherly behavior she had with the boy. A completely different Melody. She closed the book, giving it back to Price.

"Well, we gotta get him outta here. Now." She said tightening her grip on him as he turned, looking at everyone as she walked away downstairs. She felt bad, though. As if she was kidnapping. But she was saving him. Leaving him here would, without a doubt, kill him. He took Melody's locket in his hands, playing with it.

"Pretty." He cooed at the locket.

"You can speak?" She said looking at him.

He didn't say anything else, but continued to stare at her and the necklace. She heard the men's footsteps behind her, feeling their eyes on the back of her head. MacTavish came up beside her.

"What are we going to do with him?" He asked looking down at the toddler, who continued to tug on the locket.

"Protect him, of course." She said pulling the heart out of his mouth. He didn't cry but giggled as she took away the locket.

"Why? We should be searching for any living family members." He said stopping her at the foot of the stairs and turning both her and Charlie in his direction.

She moved him to her other hip and placed a hand on her empty side. "Later. Right now, Charlie was just moments away from dying. Who knows what they would've done to him if they saw him. And besides, I'm already attached to the little guy." She said smiling down at the boy.

"Melody, he's not some puppy. You can't just decide to keep him. This is a human being we're talking about." He said pointing at him.

Charlie stared up at the man, eyes wide as he took in the Mohawk on his head.

"Like I don't know that! We will look for any family he might have, but for now, I'm going to protect him." She said securing the boy as he reached for MacTavish.

MacTavish glanced at him, and then back up at her. "I don't think so, Johnston. He needs to be placed in either an orphanage or foster home until we find his family." He said watching her slowly narrow her eyes making her brown eyes darker than usual.

She furrowed her eyebrows at him. Charlie looked up at her face, and then tried his best impression of her look on MacTavish also.

"There is absolutely no way I am letting him into some foster house. Trust me; I know how those places are. I think he would be safer with me right now." She said, trying her best not to laugh.

"Yeah, 'cause everyone is safer with the mentally unstable." He muttered angrily.

A small look of hurt crossed her face, then anger. "So what, you think I'm some kind of freak? You don't think I could handle something as little as watch over a toddler. Well, it's reassuring to know how my team really feels about me." She said turning around, handing Charlie to the nearest man, Dunn, and stomping away angrily.

Charlie began screaming and crying as he watched her walk away and kick in Dunn's arms. He tried his best to hold the squirming toddler, but he gave up and let him down. He ran towards Melody as she sat on the edge of the chopper, head resting in her hands. She looked up and smiled as the toddler jumped up towards her, arms stretched out. She took him with an ear-to-ear grin as he began to giggle and hug her happily. Seeing both Melody and the boy together made him see something he never thought he would think about Melody. Maybe she could be a mother. He really didn't mean what he said about her, but he was just frustrated because of their current situation and the face that a small girl and two innocent citizens were killed. And they were too late to save them. But this boy, he survived. And now Melody was his last thing of safety.


	3. Chapter 3

"Charlie, I told you not to. Oh c'mon! Yup, I told you. What is Melody going to say now! Wait, don't go- Ah c'mon!" Becca Abrams, Sergeant and second in command of Captain Melody Johnston's squad, said while chasing the toddler around the apartment. She was babysitting him while Melody went on the recruit mission. The boy was supposed to be in bed fifteen minutes ago, but he was enjoying making Becca chase him everywhere. She on the other hand, not so much. Even if she was only the same age as Melody, this kid surprisingly wore her out! He's been a live wire since the two weeks he's been here. He usually was with Melody, but when she was either leading her team on missions, or just training recruits, Becca watched over him. She and Melody were best friends, ever since they were kids. Becca didn't grow up at the "academy" like Melody, but her father always took her there. Her father made sure to never let her live there, no matter how much persuading Gen. Johnston did with him.

Becca and Charlie both heard the front door open, Charlie didn't waste a second.

"Mooommmmyyy!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, running out of the living room. His curls bounced as he ran. She smiled and took him in her arms immediately.

"Hey, baby." She said cuddling him and walking in to Becca, who sat down on the couch rubbing her temples.

She laughed. "Sorry, I'm late. Everything alright?" Melody asked dropping her bag at foot of the couch, sitting down, with an ecstatic Charlie on her lap.

"Yeah, but Mel, can I ask you something? As a friend?" She said sitting up and crossing her legs.

Charlie tugged at Melody's hair playfully, dimples showing. "Of course." She answered, trying to pry his fingers off her hair.

"Do you think Dunn… never mind." She said laying back down on her side.

Interested in what was going through Becca's mind, she sat Charlie down on a blanket in front of them, hoping to occupy him with his toys. "What? What about Dunn?" She said crossing her legs, and pressing her elbow against Becca's calf.

"It's nothing, thank you very much." She said, covering her face.

She arched an eyebrow. "Becca come on. Just tell me!" She said nudging her foot.

"Fine! Do you think Dunn likes me?" She nearly screamed, sitting up straight.

She smiled and shrugged. "Ask him. Do you like him?" She asked resting her chin in her hands, keeping her brown eyes on Becca's face.

She rubbed her forearm unsure. "I dunno. No, he's just a team mate. Just like you think MacTavish is, just a team mate." She said.

"Trust I don't think MacTavish as just a team mate." She said matter-of-factly.

"You don't!" Becca said gripping Melody's wrist happily.

"Yeah, I know he's just a team mate." She said giving her a cocky look.

Becca rolled her eyes and took her hand back. "Jesus Mel. Nearly made me have a heart attack." She said, Melody laughed.

"But seriously, you should ask Dunn. Never know what could happen. And if he does, tell him that you don't like him like that. Easy." Melody said standing up, taking Charlie in her arms.

"Easy for you. You can say all you want to MacTavish without it being weird. You guys talk like I've never seen any two people talk. You share a brain!" Becca said following her into Charlie's room. They had an extra room left, thankfully, and put a bed inside it and bought toys and cars.

She placed Charlie, now asleep, in his bed and tucked him in. She looked up at him with an eyebrow raised mockingly. "I do not share a brain with MacTavish. My brain would fry." She whispered turning on his nightlight and leaving his room quietly.

"Whatever. We both know you like him more than you let on. Remember his face when he first saw you, you know, at Foley's wedding last year." She said leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, I remember. What about his face?" She asked as if she didn't remember the look. Who could forget it?

You are Happily Invited to the Marriage of:

Eric Joseph Foley & Victoria Marie Roberts

_MacTavish sat sipping out of his beer bottle watching guests dance on the dance floor. They just persuaded Sgt. Foley to join them. MacTavish thought that this was a little ridiculous. Having a wedding knowing he could die or get her in danger just by sticking his head out. Price came and sat next to him, noticing his comrade sitting by himself. _

"_So, he will stay on with the Task Force?" He asked._

"_Aye and he's moving her into the compound. An apartment outside of the compound that is." He said taking another swig of beer._

_Price arched an eyebrow in concern for his friend. "You need to find you a girl. I think it's time for you to settle." He said._

_MacTavish choked on his beer, and then gave Price a look. Never in a million years had he expected Price to say something like that. "What?"_

"_Everyone has someone. You look pathetic." Price teased._

_MacTavish snorted. "Maybe later, when I'm not trying to be killed." He paused to give him a look then continued. "I don't have time now anyway." He said._

"_What a shitty excuse!" They heard a voice boom behind them._

_They turned to see Michael Dunn pull a seat beside them. "Trust me; you never have enough time for a woman." He said nodding at MacTavish._

"_Alright mate, and where's yours?" MacTavish asked._

"_It's a process. But, gotta keep my options open." He joked._

_MacTavish rolled his eyes. _

"_Price!" A female voice came from across the room._

_They all turned to see whose voice it belonged to. They watched as a petite woman in a salmon pink cocktail dress, sliver dress shoes with a scrunched bow at the toe, come across with a smile. Her brown hair was curled down her back and she wore a light pink lip-gloss and mascara. She didn't wear much make-up. Price sat up and walked across to her, hugging her shoulder._

"_It's good to see you're still alive, Johnston. Where have you been?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder._

"_Depends on exactly which part of the planet you're thinking of. My team and I have been recruiting ever since you gave me your offer. Spent some time in Africa protecting some of the villagers there. And all that you see on those history and discovery channels are wrong. There really are some of the nicest people. The food and beds weren't five stars in my opinion. But it was definitely worth it. Those poor people, all the sickness there was just overwhelming. Poor kids." She said looking down at her feet then back at him. "But, enough about me, what about you? I've seen your picture in every police station in the world. Been busy?" She asked crossing her arms with a grin._

"_It's a very long story. For now, enjoy yourself. The rest of the team is over there. And there." He said pointing at some people dancing then back at Dunn and MacTavish. She nodded at them, continuing to look at MacTavish as he stared at her with an almost grin. She looked back over at Price._

"_So, uh, where's Becca? I haven't seen her in like forever!" She said with a smile._

_Price pointed back at a woman with curly red hair talking with Sgt. Foley and his new wife._

"_Thanks!" She said squeezing his shoulder once then walking over to them._

_Price came back over to the speechless two, smirk on his lips as he heard Becca squeal and Johnston laugh. The second Price sat next to him, MacTavish asked about her._

"_Who was that?" He asked staring back at them._

"_She is your new comrade. Her name is Melody Johnston, codename Mouse. She is the best I've seen. Her father used to be a General before he retired and took over a facility training children. He called it an academy, but those who went there, call it hell. Especially for her since she was there for a good portion of her life. Once she turned eighteen, she "graduated" from the facility and joined the Army. Her files and score were extraordinary. She took on the position of Sergeant at twenty-one, then Captain two years later. I have to warn you two along with everyone else, she can be a bit touchy so I wouldn't try to sneak up behind her. Just saying." He said looking back over at her as she chatted happily with Becca. She turned her head, cheeks flaming, as they all looked over at her, catching her looking at MacTavish. Becca sat beside her with an ear-to-ear grin budging her elbow and glancing at MacTavish. She looked at her friend with gaping mouth and shook in her head in protest._

_MacTavish snorted and looked over at Dunn. He continued to look at Melody's friend. Price and MacTavish shared a look._

"_I think his 'options' are pretty much closed now." MacTavish joked at Price._

"_Alright, quit your drooling Cpl. You look like an arse." He said sitting up._

_MacTavish chuckled as Dunn shook his head, looking apologetically at Price._

"_Sorry." He mumbled._

_MacTavish rolled his eyes at him and took another drink._

_After some time the guests were worn out from dancing and took their seats as they watched Foley and Victoria open their gifts. He occasionally glanced over at Melody, catching her smile or laugh out of the others. Dunn had begun talking with Becca and now sat next to her. Dunn looked over at MacTavish, seeing him looking at Melody again. _

'_Go! Go!' He mouthed at him, nodding back at her._

_He furrowed his eyebrows. He shook his head no. _

'_I will make you if you don't.' Dunn mouthed back at him._

'_I will kill you if you do.' _

'_Fine! Be single.' He mouthed and turned back to Becca._

_MacTavish scoffed and turned his attention back to Foley and Victoria. They were halfway through their mountain of gifts when he heard someone in his ear beside him._

"_Um, Price said that he had to leave. Be back at the compound before this morning." Melody said._

_MacTavish quickly turned his head, shocked that she was talking to him. He thought it was a good thing that he was in the back, so people wouldn't see him when he immediately stood up._

_They stared at each other for a second then MacTavish broke the silence._

"_Uh, thanks." He said awkwardly scratching the back of his neck._

_She bit the corner of her lip. "No problem. I'm Melody, by the way." She said extending her hand._

_He took her thin hand with a grin. "Nice to meet you. I'm MacTavish, John MacTavish." He introduced._

"_Funny." She said slightly wrinkling her nose._

"_What?" He asked with a scoff._

"_You look nothing like a John." She said with a smile._

"_Is that an insult or compliment?" _

"_Well, of all the Johns I know, it's a compliment. Those who have the name John are sometimes kinda nerdy and scrawny. You aren't." She said. She regretted saying that._

'_Stupid!' She scolded herself._

"_Well, I'll accept that compliment. But, you don't exactly look like a Melody yourself." He teased looking at her curled hair then her chocolate brown eyes._

"_And what do I look like?" She asked, head cocked to the side slightly._

"_You." He simply said._

_Becca came running up to Melody, taking her arm. "Come on! Victoria's gonna toss the bouquet! And she wants all the ladies, so you have to." She said with a smile._

"_See you later!" She rushed out as Becca drug her away from MacTavish._

_MacTavish laughed as they made it back up the room, waiting for a smiling Victoria to turn around, bouquet in midair. She then tossed it back behind her. The flower girls jumped up, but were unfortunately too small to reach it. Seeing the bouquet come her direction, Melody held her hands out in case. She was going to give it to Becca if she caught it. Becca squealed as the light pink and purple bouquet fell in Melody's hands. She blushed and looked over at MacTavish. She rolled her eyes with a smile at him. He grinned back at her. Melody forced Becca to have the bouquet, even if she refused. _

Melody scoffed at the memory. "You know, that still was rude dragging me away in the middle of a conversation." She joked.

"Oh, you'll get over it." Becca said with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes at her friend then grabbed a bag of mint Oreos.

"Oh my gosh, you still eat those!" Becca said watching her eat one.

"Of course. I may be a 'stick in the mud', but I will always have a sweet tooth for these. They're my own brand of crack." She joked.

Becca laughed taking one and walked over and plopped down on the couch. She looked up at the ceiling above her, and then slowly asked.

"Melody?"

"Yeah, Becca?" She answered opening her book.

"What do you think will happen to us? I mean, if we die or get killed. Shouldn't we tell those we love that we do while we still can? I think you should forgive your dad and that guy. If not, you're going to regret it." She said looking over at her.

"Becca, I've said this a thousand times. I can never forgive them for what they did to me. Besides, it's not like my dad ever gave a shit about me." She said angrily turning the page.

Becca gave her a sympathetic look then looked back at ceiling. She knew she needed to bring both Melody and her dad back together. Well, she should say bring them together since they never were in the first place. But how do you make the world's most stubborn people swallow their pride and forgive each other?

**Thanks again to those who have read and reviewed my story. And I guess I'm going to leave that as the chapter's question. How would you make the world's most stubborn people forgive each other? Thanks and have a great day!**


	4. Chapter 4

"C'mon Mel! You can do better. We all know you can!" MacTavish yelled at Johnston; who struggled taking down Dunn.

"Bite me, 'Tavish!" She yelled back taking him into a headlock.

Dunn had gotten ahold of her old files of when she went undercover some years back as a beauty pageant contestant. He asked for it and showed it to MacTavish and the guys. Especially the bathing suit competition. She made many threats to kill him, and once when she had her chance she went for it. Now, more guys came around watching them, stopping their training and placing bets. Dunn wasn't doing so well in that category. Dunn quickly grabbed her waist and threw her off of him. Dunn looked over and saw Becca walk up with another man beside her. He was tall, blond hair blue eyes. The whole package. He furrowed his eyebrows. He looked over at Melody who began to sit back up. He quickly grabbed her body and slammed her back on the ground.

"Psst. Who's that Becca's talking to?" He whispered awkwardly.

She arched an eyebrow unsuspectingly. "What?"

"Over there. The blond guy. Who is he?" He asked again.

She rolled her eyes and threw him off her. He took his arm and twisted it behind his back. "Why? Aww, are we jealous, Dunn?" She mused in his ear.

"No! I just, never saw him before. That's all." He said nervously.

"Ha-ha. Ok, since you seem so interested. His name is Camren Pritchett. Private. He just happens to be the best in my squad to. Very sexy." She teased in his ear.

"You win!" He said pushing her off of him.

"Thank you." She jokingly said.

She swung her leg across and knocked him off his feet. "Sorry, man. I am not winning by default."

He just rolled his eyes and stood back up. He walked toward Becca.

She just laughed and stood up, wiping the dust off of her pants and shirt. She then heard MacTavish's voice behind her.

"Hey, Mells!" He called running over to her.

She pursed her lips annoyed. "Don't you have to be calling mentally abused children retards right now?" She hissed at him. She was still mad at him for what he said.

"Melody, please, listen to me. I did not mean that. You know I wouldn't say that." He said holding her by her forearm.

"Oh, I do, do I?" She said crossing her arms.

"Mells, c'mon. How many times can I say I'm sorry before you finally forgive me?" He asked.

His icy blue eyes stared right through her. She felt as though she couldn't be mad at him, especially when he looked at her like that. She looked at his eyes for a second then sighed.

"Fine. But another crack like that and I will kill you." She said with a grin.

He smiled at her.

"Soap, Mouse. Get over here!" Price called out behind them.

They turned to see a stressed looking Price standing outside the office building.

"You waiting for an invitation? C'mon!" He said impatient.

They started to run over to Price.

"What's eating him?" Melody whispered up to MacTavish.

He just shrugged his shoulders and followed her into the building.

"What's wrong Price?" Melody immediately asked.

He stood watching the screen. Makarov's file was pulled up on the glass screen. Along with the most wanted files of Price and MacTavish on the side.

"He was spotted. The house fire was just a distraction. Makarov is coming back on the grid. The bastard has become more powerful than before. He's planning an attack on New York. If he's back on grid. Then so are we."

Melody's breathing began to shallow. Her sister, niece, and brother-in-law lived there. This was the same place she grew up the first four years of her life. She was born there. There was no way in hell she'd let Makarov come and take it. What happened to the White House was going to stop now. This crazy bastard was going to die. Whether or not she lived to see it in the paper the next day. Sometimes, it takes one life to save thousands. Melody glared up at the screen, anger and vengeance boiling up inside of her. Another one of Makarov's filed lay on the long black table in front of them. She quickly knocked it off the table and looked up at Price.

"We do we get to kill him?" She asked, feeling MacTavish's stare on her face.

"That's more like it. We still have to make sure all of our recruits are ready. Johnston, assemble your team and don't stop training for one second. Soap will be helping you. Along with all our "veterans." He said glancing at their faces.

Melody grinned.

"C'mon _Soap_." She said with a playful smile, slapping his arm lightly.

He grinned and chased after her. Feeling as though everything was going to change now.

**Sorry it's short but I just left like that was a good place to end it. But anyway. Let's see if I can come up with another question... How do you think Melody will react to seeing her family again and what do you think happened to Melody's father and how he would react to this? Can't wait to see what you come up with. Enjoy and Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been two weeks. Two weeks since they had gotten the news from Price. Thankfully, nothing has been said about New York yet. But Melody wasn't going to just sit here and wait until something did happen. The only people she cared about were still alive and were in danger. She had to warn them. Get them to either come with her or move to a safer location. But with Makarov lurking around, was there such a thing as a safe place anymore? Her hair was wet and hung down her shoulder, leaving long wet dark stains on her shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror then hopped up from the chair. She threw her suitcase and duffle bag on her bed. She didn't care if anyone saw her leaving the base; she had to see her only family. Besides her father. Oh wait. She had to see her dad first. He practically knew every move Melody made. She wasn't really allowed to see her other family members. Doctors said that she couldn't considering her mental health. She could well easily hurt anyone if they were to do any little thing wrong. But she was healthy now. She didn't want to kill anyone. Why would she want to hurt her sister? She didn't. She was going. Once she was fully dressed and she dried her hair, she quietly stepped out of her apartment. Kissing Charlie on the forehead and leaving a note for Becca. Wouldn't she be happy she decided to actually see her dad? Sort of. She threw her bag over her shoulder and quietly walked off. The dark scared her some. Though she would never admit it, she was afraid something would pop out at her. Well, her dad always told her to always be on guard. You never know who could easily come up behind you. Just as she thought this she heard MacTavish's voice behind her.

"Taking a walk in the moonlight are we?" He said tauntingly.

She squealed and spun around. He stepped out of the shadows and walked towards her. He just wore a simple black T-shirt and jeans. Nothing like his training gear. She jokingly thought he looked somewhat normal.

"What are you doing out here?" She whispered, hoping the guards wouldn't hear her.

"Coincidence, I was about to ask you the same thing." He said nearly inches away from her.

Her breathing grew harsher as the large man approached her like this. "That's none of your business." She said taking a step back.

"Oh really, I thought we weren't supposed to keep any secrets here, Mells. You should know that." He said, looking at her face with his blue eyes.

"You'll find some things about me that would shock you, Scotland." She said crossing her arms.

"Like what?"

"It doesn't matter. Now, would you please just go away?" She said waving him off.

He took her hand with a strange intensity.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She said trying to draw her hand back.

He just gripped her thin hand more tightly in his. "Nothing really. Just the truth." He said, his grin faded away.

"What are you talking about?" She asked softly.

"Price showed me something. Told me it was about time I knew the truth. I have to admit. It did shock me." He said, never straying from her brown deep eyes.

"What did he show you?" She demanded through locked jaw.

He looked down at his feet, not answering her.

"MacTavish, what. Did. He. Show. You." She demanded again.

He looked back up at her. "I'm sorry." Was all he said.

She understood every emotion in those two words. He saw them. What happened to her, what they did to her. Did he see that night? Price wouldn't, would he?

_September 18, 2007_

_Johnston's Discipline Academy_

_Seattle, Washington_

_Fourteen year old Melody Johnston quickly pounced along the obstacle course, dodging each and jumping onto the mountain climb. She quickly fastened it around her waist and took off. The two men, General Benjamin Johnston and __Lieutenant General __Hershel von Shepherd III, stood watching the young girl pass some of her older colleges. One of the older boys, Darren Shepherd, General Shepherd's son, gawked at her. He smiled at the girl then. She didn't catch it since she was too busy trying to pass the test with flying colors. If she did, she could leave this place. Well, at least to school and out in town for maybe an hour or two. But she didn't care. She hadn't seen the outside since she was four. Ten years she's been in this place. This was her only choice._

"_That is quite a girl you have their, Johnston." Shepherd lightly complimented as the girl pounced along obstacles and sprinted through the course. _

"_Thank you, sir. We've been working real hard on her for ten years now. She needs more improvement though, of course. She's good, but she isn't perfect." He replied to the compliment._

_Shepherd disagreed to the man's comment, but said nothing. He was thinking about what it would've been like to have her on his squad. Shame she was only fourteen. Although, she could always be saved. _

"_Johnston? Can I make you a deal?" He asked, turning to him._

"_Sir?"_

"_On your daughter. She would make an amazing addition to my squad in the, hopefully, near future. I want her." He said staring at her, she know came close to the finish and was just finishing up the last obstacle course. Dodging bullets, substituted with paintball ammo. _

"_It would be a great honor to have her apart of your squad, sir. But, she is too young. Maybe in four more years." He said warily. It strangely, unnerved him to think of anyone else taking his daughter. He trained her, reared her up, and disciplined her for ten years. She was his ownership. His rightful property. But, who knows what opportunity's lie in store for him. And Melody of course. _

"_What do you mean, exactly?" He asked interested._

"_Keep training her as you are. And in the next four years, I want her sent straight to me immediately. No one else is to be her trainer. Hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, she may be the one who can really stop our enemies. This girl, Melody, she has extraordinary ancestors. Her grandparents, for example. Two of the greatest soldiers the Marines ever saw. And then came her aunts and uncles, and her mother. All no strangers to combat. Then, as icing on the cake, there's you. General." He explained as he watched Melody sprint to the exit, completely spot free._

_Ben let this absorb for a second. No one ever really talked about his deceased wife's mother and father. They hated him for what he had done to both their oldest daughter and first granddaughter. Who could blame them? Ben wasn't always like this, though. Not at first. He was kind and sweet. Very gentleman like to women, especially Melanie Woods- Johnston. Even her parents enjoyed him at first. But then when he younger sister died in a car wreck, some months after they married. He changed. His heart hardened and eyes grew colder by the second. He was harsh now, and cruel. He took all his anger on his wife. Even though she was pregnant with Melody at the time, she took every slap across the face. She just prayed that her little Melody would be able to escape this nightmare she endured for them both. Sadly, her dream never came true and her baby was left with him._

"_Thank you, sir. I've have Melody ready for you the second she turns eighteen." Ben agreed._

_Shepherd nodded and looked back at his daughter. She was tackling Darren and keeping him in a headlock._

"_Now's a good time to get to work on her!" Ben huffed as he ran to get his daughter off of the young man._

She sat there. Remembering everything he had done. Let be done to her. That night hit her harder than any memory she had.

"No!" She screamed, stuck in the memory. She tried to pull herself out of MacTavish's grip, but he just pulled her back in. Trying to calm her, he did the first thing he thought of. He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. At first, she immediately started kicking and punching him, but then she heard his heartbeat against her face. It was surprisingly soothing. She started crying and clutched to him. It shocked MacTavish to see her this way, and it shocked him the most when he realized how much he liked holding her in his arms. He didn't like the feeling, it was unfamiliar to him. But it's not like he could just push her away. She might kill him, but that could really hurt her. She was his friend. He could never hurt her so much in that way. So, maybe, just for tonight, he could be her comforter. Just maybe, there can be more tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mells! Calm down! It's alright!" He struggled calming down a crazed Melody. He had no clue what he was doing and if what he was doing was either calming her down or making her more mad. But she just pushed him away every time he tried to keep her close to his chest. She was yelling at someone, someone he didn't know. Her hands started shaking uncontrollably as she pushed his chest away again. In hopes he could calm her down again; he quickly jumped out and threw his arms around her, crushing her against his chest. He waited for her to start punching him again, but she didn't. She just slowly threw her arms around his neck, clutching to him. After a while, she calmed down.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She murmured against his chest.

He just smoothed back her sweaty hair, placing his chin on her head. "It's alright." He softly said.

She broke away from his hold on her and started wiping tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "Ok. Once again, sorry. Didn't want anyone to see me like that. And to answer your previous question, I'm going to New York. Now if you don't mind, I'll be going." She said throwing her bag over her shoulder again.

"Whoa whoa, wait. Why the hell do you need to go to New York?" He asked grabbing her arm.

"If you must know, I have family there. My sister, brother, and niece. They cannot die." She said looking back at him, almost pleading.

"I'm coming with you." He said, giving her a nod.

"Um, no you're not. This is my only living family members left. I'm not bringing you. Especially if they don't even know I'm alive." She murmured hoping he wouldn't hear.

"What? You're family thinks you're dead? Why?" He said catching her mumbling.

"Because my father said so, alright! He didn't want anyone to come after me. Claiming that I was his. He didn't want anyone to take away his "secret weapon". So congrats, you now know my father didn't give a shit about me or what happened to me. Go ahead and tell your little "punk ass posy" about how Melody Johnston is a freak!" She yelled at him.

He rolled his eyes harshly at her. "I'm not telling anyone, Mells. You know I wouldn't stoop that low. I just. I can't let you go alone because. "He hesitated.

Melody arched an eyebrow. "Because why?" She asked interested in what he had to say.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt." He said under his breath.

Melody was now amused. "I'm sorry, what? I didn't catch that." She said placing two fingers on her ear.

He grinned; glad she was back to the same old Melody. "You heard me." He said crossing his arms.

She beamed at him then she placed her bags on the ground beside her.

"What are you doing?" He asked arching an eyebrow.

"Waiting for you. I swear, a turtle just passed you." She joked.

He grinned and turned and went back to his room.

Melody looked down at her passport, reading over the name he gave her. They were both known for being on the most wanted list. She colored her hair blond and put in green contacts. MacTavish thought she looked completely different. He just wore a ball cap and brown contacts. Melody tried to do disguise him some, but it was a little difficult. She just prayed no one would notice the similarities.

"That Scottish bastard." She said under her breath.

She looked up to see him walking towards her, bag over shoulder. She crossed her arms and glared at him. He arched an eyebrow.

"What's with you?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and punches him in the arm.  
>"Ow! What's your problem?" He demanded, clutching his upper arm.<br>She grabbed her passport from her bag and opened it to her new name. "This is my problem, Scotland." She said pointing at the name.

"Where in the world did you come up with the name Shirley Freeman? All I need is a basket of bread." She said throwing her arms in the air.

He just started chuckling. "Thought you'd like that. It's not that bad. And besides, it's not like you look like yourself." He paused taking in her blonde locks and light green eyes. Though he dared not admit it, he missed her brown waves and chocolate brown eyes. "So you need a name that is different from your real name. Now, we need to get moving unless you wanna be late." He said looking down at his watch.

"What's yours?" She asked reaching for his.

He drew it back from her prying hand. "Whoa whoa, Shirley. That's classified information." He said waving the passport in her face.

"You're such a jerk!" She said angrily turning around and walking off.

"Looks like grandma's gotta temper!" He called back, walking behind her.

She took her tourist pamphlet and threw it at the back of his head.

He just laughed at her anger.

Becca woke to the sound of Charlie screaming. Her eyes snapped open and she jumped out of her bed. She was surprised she didn't see Melody there, taking the boy in her arms. That's when she began to worry. She leaned over and took the screaming child in her arms, doing her best to calm him down. She managed to keep him from screaming, but he continued to cry. She crossed over to Melody's room, opening the door with her hip. She saw her room, dark. It was the same. Same light brown walls, scenery paintings on hanging on the wall. Her bed was still made. She hoped it was just one of those mornings when she just got an early start. She took and bathed and dressed and fed Charlie just as Melody would, then quickly got dressed. Grabbing toy cars she dashed out the door. She saw some outside, preparing for the day. Now that everyone was pushed to try their hardest, only a week until they left for New York, some were in the cafeteria. She went up to Dunn.

"Hey, has anyone seen Melody around? She wasn't at the apartment." She asked holding a squirming Charlie.

"No, I haven't. You seen MacTavish?" He asked looking down at Charlie, then up at her.

"No. Weird, they just managed to vanish off the side of the earth or something."

"Maybe Price knows? They're always with him. It's almost creepy." Dunn joked.

"Well, all I know is we better find them soon or Charlie's head is gonna explode." She said looking down at him. He started crying and screaming. "Or mine." She said closing her eyes slowly.

Dunn scoffed and watched her sprint over to Price.

"Uggh! What am I doing?" Melody asked aloud, hands beating against her forehead.

"I don't know." MacTavish said casually and almost annoyed.

She had been doing the same thing for almost an hour. She was beating herself over leaving Price and her squad, and especially Charlie and Becca. At first, MacTavish answered her saying it was going to be alright, then she continually asked him that. Now, it was aggravating. Melody leaned her head against the side of the chair to look out the window. MacTavish rested his chin on his fist, eye furrowed in annoyance. He honestly couldn't wait until she fell asleep.

"MacTavish?" Melody asked, tapping his arm.

He sighed. "Yes, Mells?"

"What do you think they'll do? You know my family. They always knew me as dead. What will their reaction be?" She asked, hands folded.

He wasn't expecting that. He turned over to her, seeing her wary face. "Um, I really don't know, Mells." He paused. Melody's shoulders drooped and she just turned away from him, looking out the window again.

"But, you should know. Whatever does happen is for the better. And if they love you like I-"He paused catching himself. Did he just really almost say he loved Melody? Was it true? He saw he turn back to him, so he had to say something. "Like I know a family should. You'll be fine." He said lightly squeezing her arm. She looked at him for a second, then turned back around. She could still feel his hand on her arm. Melody knew it was going to be another sleepless night. As usual. She never really slept. She hadn't had a full night's sleep since she was four. Maybe in and out for ten minutes or so, but other than that, she just stared outside. Sometimes, Charlie would fall asleep in her arms back at the base; she loved to watch his eyelids flutter. She knew he was dreaming. She prayed that he never had to face the terrible world outside of his pleasant dreams. She wished she could join him in his dreams. A chance to escape this world for just a couple of hours. Escape where everything was nice and peaceful. Maybe a place where she was loved for her; she didn't have to worry about ever be approved of their love, where their love was natural and would always love her no matter what stupid or embarrassing things she had done. A place opposite her childhood. Tonight she had no one to hold, no one she could watch sleep. Well, there was MacTavish. She grinned at the thought. He sounded sleepy the last he spoke, just a second ago. After midnight, she turned and looked over at MacTavish. She flinched a little when she found herself a foot away from his face. She listened to his soft snores, watched his chest fall back and forth. Little did she know, she found these soothing and fell asleep. And that night, she dreamed. It was different from her usual dreams, nightmares more like it. She dreamt of just lying in a meadow, surrounded by lilies and roses. The grass was a nice fresh green and swayed in the wind. Her hair spread across the ground behind her. She felt peaceful and at ease. Her bare feet felt the soft grass underneath her. The wind whipped at her thin T-shirt. She heard Charlie's laughter behind her. She craned her neck back to see him being held by a large silhouette. She couldn't see the person's face. She stood up and began walking over to them. She didn't like the person who was holding her son; she didn't know who it was. As she crept closer to them, he turned around to face her. All she saw was a color of icy blue eyes stare at her.

MacTavish woke up when he felt the sun bore onto his neck. He popped his neck and tried to straighten up. He felt pressure on his shoulder. He saw Melody's head rested on his right shoulder. She looked peaceful and he didn't want to wake her. He let her sleep for a little while then woke her up when they finally landed. She sleepily rubbed her eyes and looked up at him. She grinned then jumped up when she realized she fell asleep on his shoulder.

"Sorry." She mumbled brushing her messy hair back.

He just grinned at her.

She quickly pulled out her brush and brushed out the tangles in her wavy hair and pulled it back into a messy ponytail. Once they were outside the airport, Melody pulled out a folded piece of paper from her bag. Before boarding a plane, they had to meet up with her father. She shivered at the recent memory.

"_Welcome to hell." Melody said stepping out of the car and looking at the gloomy academy. She looked over at MacTavish. He eyed the building then looked at her._

"_I feel so sorry for you right now." He said with a half-hearted grin._

"_Well, we didn't come to look at it. Follow me." She said throwing her bag over her shoulder and walking off to the double glass doors. A million memories slapped her in the face as she walked through the cold and almost damp like hallways. She stopped when she heard a female voice call her from behind._

"_Melody!" She asked._

_They both turned to see a tall, thin blonde woman walk up to them. Melody wasn't sure who it was until she got closer. Her eyes grew wide._

"_Margaret!" She nearly yelled happily._

**Sorry it's been a while since I've updated! School sucks so much! But any way. How do you think Melody will react to seeing her mother figure after so many years? And what about her family? Who is the man haunting her dream? How will her father react to seeing his daughter after six years? All to be answered in Chapter 7! Thanks for reading and reviewing those who did. Every click is appreciated. And feel free to tell me how I'm doing. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Have a nice day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**In this chapter we get to fall into Melody's father's, Ben, mind. And some more Melody memories. And I really hope I'm not boring you guys. I promise you that I am going to be doing mission chapters soon! But thanks for reading!**

"_Melody?" A voice called behind them._

_They turned to see a tall, thin blonde woman walk up to them._

_Melody barely recognized her until she came closer._

"_Margaret!" She squealed happily._

_She ran over to her and Margaret took the girl in her arms. It had been nearly ten years since Margaret was supposedly missing. Margaret kept a hand on the back of Melody's hand and slightly rocked back and forth in their embrace. Melody felt at home. Just like she always felt with her. After her real mother died, Margaret was the only thing left of a mother to her. After Margaret broke the rules one day, letting Melody sneak out of academy grounds to go to some party with her new friend, Darren, Margaret disappeared. It was hard for Melody because all that was left was her father. And he was as mad as ever. They broke apart and Margaret looked at her, head to foot._

"_It's incredible how much you've grown! More beautiful, that is." She smiled patting her cheek._

"_Thanks, but I have to disagree. Where have you been?" She immediately asked, taking the woman's shoulders._

_She looked around uneasy. "Come with me." She said putting an arm around her shoulder._

"_Oh, wait." She said putting up her finger and turning back around to MacTavish. "Yo, Chuck!" She called at MacTavish. He just rolled his eyes and walked up to her. _

"_Margaret this is my, uh, friend, MacTavish. MacTavish this is Margaret. Now we're acquainted; where have you been?" Melody quickly said looking back and forth at MacTavish and Margaret then placing her elbows on the table, leaning towards her, once inside her office._

"_I can't really say. I was told not to. But, I was fired. After protecting your little secret and your night out with that Darren boy, your father said he could no longer trust me with you. But, that was probably the best thing that ever happened to me! I got married and now I have two beautiful children." She said with a smile. She lifted her finger to a picture setting on her desk and turned it over. Showing a maybe seven year old blonde blue eyed girl and sandy brunette and green eyed boy who could've been maybe five. Melody felt her stomach drop. She was happy for her, don't get her wrong, but she had always known her as her mother. She wasn't really, but she felt awkward thinking that she really couldn't be her mother. She had her own little Melody's to look after. _

"_Oh." Was all she said. _

_Margaret didn't think too much about it, but MacTavish could tell by the look on her face it unnerved her. He placed his hand on top of hers as it rested on the arm of the chair. She gasped silently and looked over at him. He gave her a half-hearted grin then looked back at Margaret. She didn't know why, but she felt somewhat calm now. She didn't move her hand since he hadn't moved his._

_An awkward silence hung around the room. Melody quickly broke it._

"_Margaret it's really great seeing you again, but I came here to see my dad. Can you tell him that I need to talk to him?" She asked running a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the sudden peace and at-ease feeling of his hand on hers._

"_Of course." She said pressing a button on her phone. _

_Her father's voice rang out from the other end. "What is it, Margaret?" He sounded just as harsh as Melody remembered._

"_Sir, you have a surprise guest. They need to see you immediately." She said, making sure not to say his daughter's name._

"_I don't want to see anyone, Margaret. Just send them off." He said. He sounded tired. That was different._

"_But, sir. It's an emergency. They urgently need you." She said, stressing their visit._

_There was a pause. "Fine. Send them in." He finally said and ended the conversation._

_Margaret nodded to herself. "Well, Melody you know where his office is." She didn't mean it harshly, but it sounded some cold. She was nervous enough for the both of them._

_Melody nodded and grabbed her bag from the ground and slung it over her shoulder. MacTavish stood up, but she put a hand on his shoulder._

"_Stay here. I have some unfinished business to attend to with him." She said walking to the door._

"_Melody!" Margaret called then hesitated. "You'll find it unbelievable how much someone can change in six years._

_Melody looked down at her feet, then opened the door and began walking down the long cold hallway leading to her father's office. A million memories flashed through her head. Her first day, the many times she was sent to his office. The nights when guards would take her, more like drag her, to the room because she snuck out of her room numerous time in attempt to try and kill some of the boys. Those who snickered or made fun of her. She still could hear the vicious screaming that came from her then nine year old self._

'_I'll kill you! You bastards!' With venom thick in her voice she spat at them._

_She then made it to his door, knocked once. _

"_Come in." She heard his voice._

_She took a deep breath and opened the door._

_Benjamin Johnston sat in his office. Ten years, she's been gone ten years. The last thing of his Melanie and he scared her away. He clutched his head as his deceased wife's last words screamed in his head._

_She stood there, rocking a two month old baby, Krista Ann Johnston, in her arms and softly singing a lullaby._

'_My precious one, my tiny one, lay down your pretty head.  
>My dearest one my sleepy one, it's time to go to bed<em>

My precious one, my darling one; don't let your lashes weep.  
>My cherished one, my weary one; it's time to go to sleep.<p>

Just bow your head and give your cares to me.  
>Just close your eyes and fall into the sweetest dream, cause in my loving arms.<br>You're safe as you will ever be so hush my dear and sleep.

And in your dreams you'll ride on angels' wings.  
>Dance with the stars and touch the face of god<br>And if you should awake...

I'll kiss your little cheek  
>And underneath the smiling moon<br>I'll send you back to sleep.'

_He crept in behind her and tapped on the wall. She gasped and turned to him. A glare plastered on her face._

"_What the hell are you doing here?"_

_He gave her a mocking grin. "A man has a right to see his own family." He said stepping over to her._

"_You don't give a damn about us. What do you want?" She demanded._

_He could hear the distant sound of Melody in the background. She was playing with some of her stuffed animals. "I want Melody." He said._

_She furrowed her eyebrows first in confusion, then anger. "No! You are not taking my daughter. Neither of them." She said stepping in front of the door leading to the living room tightening her grip on her baby._

"_If Science serves me right then she is also my daughter too." He said._

_Melanie knew he had every right to see either Melody or Krista, but she didn't want him around her daughters. These were her babies. If her husband was the same man she married, she wouldn't resist. But he wasn't he was different. A new and colder Ben. "How long do you want her? A week, two?" She asked laying Krista down in a playpen in the room._

"_A want full ownership." He said leaning against the table._

"_What-no! She's not some car, Benjamin! And what did you expect? Like I would just give her to you and be fine with never seeing her again? That's just sick!" She said pushing him away._

_He grabbed her small wrist and pulled her towards him harshly. "Yes." He breathed in her ear._

"_Mommy?" A small voice came from the door, frightened and wary._

_Melody stood there, barefoot, hair falling loose over her shoulder and down her back. Tears welled in her big brown eyes, taking in the sight of her father shaking her mother around. He let go of Melanie and turned to Melody._

"_Melody, you're going to live with me now, okay?" He slowly said._

_She stepped back. "No! I'm not going with you, Daddy!" Melody yelled._

_He nearly glared at her and reached out to grab her. That's when Melanie jumped in front of her._

"_No! Benjamin! Get out of here now!" She yelled at him, taking Melody in her arms. Melody threw her arms around her neck and placed her head on her shoulder as she glared at Ben. The yelling caused Krista to cry, the only noise in the room. Ben just stared at them then angrily turned, slamming the door, causing a loud bang around them._

"_I hate him, Mommy." Melody said as she got back down on her feet, angrily staring at the door her father just left._

_Seeing the look on her daughter's face scared Melanie some. It belonged to an adult, like she was betrayed. She looked just like her father when she did that. She stared at her, shock building on her face._

"_Melody!" She said as she watched the girl harden her glare, almost deadly._

_She slowly looked up at her mother; glare still plastered on her face._

_Ben's face fell into his hands. He scared them away, forever. His own daughter would rather see him dead; his youngest daughter has no idea who he really is. His wife died of a broken heart. Though he could never admit it, he loved them. Especially his Melody. She looked just like her mother. He hated to see that she inherited her same pride and stubbornness. He saw his reflection in one of his many plaques. He stood up and walked closer to it. His face was pale; blue eyes the only color on his face. His blonde hair thinning wrinkles around the eyes and his mouth. His hands shook at his sides, stress and old age causing him to feel sick. He heard Margaret's voice come from the comm on his phone._

"_Sir, you have a surprise guest. They need to see you immediately." She said. He looked over at the phone; he knew she was hiding something. _

_He took a deep breath and pressed his finger against the button. "I don't want to see anyone. Just send them off." He said sitting down in his chair. A joint popped and he sat there rubbing his knee. He was getting old and all the cold and damp of the academy wore him out and he felt nauseous. _

"_But, sir. It's an emergency. They urgently need to see you." She pressed._

_He sighed and considered the option. The sooner they were in here and got whatever he wanted sorted out, the sooner they could leave and he could wallow in his self-pity once again. "Fine. Send them in." He finally said._

_She didn't say anything, but ended their conversation._

_He sat there waiting for his guests to appear. He opened a draw next to him and pulled out one of his secret items. He saw his wife, fully dressed in her white gown and the brightest smile. He remembered every word from their vows. He thought of every word as the truth, though it had gone astray. He looked at the next one. It was a picture of Melody's birth certificate. Something he could carry around and he was testing the camera that day. _

'_Melody Marie Johnston. Day of birth: August 19, 1993.'_

_He sighed and traced his fingers across the picture. He mouthed the words; 'I'm sorry' to himself then looked up as he heard a light tap on the door._

_He ran a hand through his hair, quickly put the pictures away, then looked back at the door. _

"_Come in." He said surprisingly loud._

_The door slowly opened and he took his usual position with his back to the door, looking at the window behind his desk. He slowly looked up to see his guest, prepping for some speech he was sure he was to give. He gasped and spun around, seeing the tall frame of what looked like Melody._

_He rubbed his eyes, checking he was seeing right. "Melody?" He asked in a wavering voice._

_She showed no expression on her face as she answered. "Hey, Dad." Adding some venom on Dad._

"_Wh-what are you doing here?" He asked._

_She just shook her head and sat on the chair in front of him. "I want to know where they are. And I want you to take this stupid tracking chip out of my bracelet." She said taking off Melanie's old charm bracelet and pushing it to him._

_He was still shocked at her arrival here. His mouth gaped as he took the bracelet in a shaky hand and slowly looked at her as if she just spoke in some foreign language._

"_Who? Why do you want the chip out?" He asked halfway understanding what she was saying._

"_My sister, Krista. Where is she staying at, with her family? And I hate you constantly knowing where I am. You know I could pass as a trader with all this secret government crap on me!" She said tugging at her shirt, showing the American flag pin, they could monitor wherever she was._

"_You know I can't do that, Melody. It's dangerous." He said giving her the bracelet back._

_Melody rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Fine!" She said putting the bracelet on her wrist and angrily standing up._

"_Whoa, where are you going?" He asked, jumping up from his chair._

"_To find the only person who doesn't use me." She said referring to MacTavish who was waiting for her in the lobby._

"_Melody!" He called following her out the door._

"_Get the hell away from me, Dad!" She yelled at him._

_MacTavish jumped up from his seat watching Melody and her father come up._

"_No! I forbid you from going to your sister's. Stop!" He called as she sprinted pass MacTavish and bursting out the door._

_MacTavish followed them outside; he tensed as he knew Melody was going to get violent. He was right._

_Ignoring her father's calls, she reached down to her bag, pulling out a M9 pistol._

"_Now, give me the information." She demanded._

"_Melody! Put your gun down!" MacTavish said halting in his tracks, hand up towards her._

"_No! He's gonna give me the information or I'll shoot his freaking head off!" She snapped at him, never moving her sight from Ben's._

"_Fine! I'll give it to you! Just put your gun down, now!" He yelled at her._

_She looked over at MacTavish for a second. "See." She said quietly to him._

_He rolled his eyes and forced the gun out of her hands. She just rolled her eyes at his small lecture and followed her father inside. MacTavish acted as if he was her bodyguard the whole time. When they were inside his office again, he dug through a filing cabinet. He pulled out one file and flipped it open to her address home and cell phone number. Melody wrote it down a separate piece of paper and folded it and put it in her large brown bag._

"_Well, we'll be leaving then." She said nodding at her father then grabbing MacTavish's wrist and dragging him out the door. _

_Ben quickly reached over and snatched her wrist. "Melody…" He hesitated._

_She just stared at him; MacTavish let his hand hover over her lower back protectively._

"_Please… Be careful." He said in a wavering voice._

_Melody was too shocked to say anything. She just nodded once and escaped out the door. Her father being compassionate? She heard that wrong, right? She didn't say a word as she dashed out the door, ignoring Margaret's call. MacTavish strayed behind talking to Margaret. Melody waited for him also letting her father's words absorb. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. This man called her father was different. He would of love to see her run away, cower away from his voice. Now he was begging for her to stay and begging for her to be careful. She knew he meant when she went into New York after Makarov. She thought over Margaret's words, hanging around in her mind._

'_You'll find it unbelievable how much someone can change in six years.'_

_God, wasn't she right. Melody shook her head in frustration and laid her forehead on the steering wheel. After five or so minutes, she heard MacTavish come up and sit beside her. He shook her shoulder, making sure she was alright. She took a deep breath through her nose and pulled her hair back and started the car. Toy Soldiers by Eminem played, it being the last song she was listening to when they arrived. The first verse hung around her ears, catching her attention._

'_I'm supposed to be the soldier who never blows his composure  
>Even though I hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders<br>I ain't never supposed to show it, my crew ain't supposed to know it  
>Even if it means goin' toe to toe with a Benzino it don't matter<br>I'd never drag them in battles that I can handle unless I absolutely have to  
>I'm supposed to set an example<br>I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide 'em  
>If some shit ever does pop off, I'm supposed to be beside 'em<br>That Ja shit I tried to squash it, it was too late to stop it  
>There's a certain line you just don't cross and he crossed it<br>I heard him say Hailie's name on a song and I just lost it  
>It was crazy, this shit went way beyond some Jay-z and Nas shit<br>And even though the battle was won, I feel like we lost it  
>I spent too much energy on it, honestly I'm exhausted<br>And I'm so caught in it I almost feel I'm the one who caused it'_

_How could a simple rap song make her feel so guilty? She thought about her old friends when she was a part of the Rangers. Ronan, Steven, Shaun, and Mallory. Well, Mallory was actually her cousin. They were her first best friends, besides Becca. Ronan was the youngest of them all (besides herself), eighteen, bleach blonde hair, blue eyes, British. Steven and Shaun, the biggest teasers on the earth. She grinned, hearing one of their conversations in her head._

'_Yo, Mells! Watcha doin'?' Shaun said coming up beside her, Australian accent making her ears ring. _

"_Same old. What about you?" She said smiling and turning to him._

_He quickly leaned down and crushed his lips against her soft pink lips. She grinned._

"_What was that for?" She asked with a smile, eyes closed._

"_For me." He jokingly said pulling a lose strand of soft hair behind her ear._

"_Well, thank you." She said pushing his face away from hers._

"_You see that Delta Force that came through Fire Base?" He asked sitting down on her cot._

"_No. Why?" She said pushing her laptop away from her and crawling up in his lap._

_He held her in his arms, chin on her shoulder. "Only because one guy bitch slapped you from first on the top record list." He said his breath against her neck._

"_What?" She asked sitting up, causing his chin to slip and nearly fall on her leg._

"_Yeah, it was totally weird. He had some funny accent and had a weird Mohawk. _

_She laughed. "Ok, now you're just messin' with me, man! A Mohawk and an accent?" She asked with a laugh pushing him away._

"_I swear, I'm not! Marine's honor!" He said raising his right hand._

_She rolled her eyes. "So what did he make?" She asked laying back in his arms, she knew it was stupid to resist him. _

"_Um, I think it was an 18.26. No offense, Mells that guy totally smoked your 18.27." He said with a grin._

"_Well, I don't care! I'll be right back, taking a shower. I had to show Shepherd how I do The Pit. I feel like a dude." She joked standing up and walking away to one of the doors on the wall. (Since she was a woman they offered her a room with a private bathroom.) It wasn't any five star room, but she still didn't like the feeling. She felt spoiled, she'd never felt that before so it was unusual. Ronan looked up at her smiling._

"_Well, I'm coming with ya!" He joked jumping off the cot with her._

"_Oh no you aren't." She teased, making three taps on his chest then sprinting to the bathroom when he went to wrap his arms around her. He pinched her leg causing her to let out a childish squeal. He just chuckled at the sound. She slammed the door in his face, the ringing melody of her laugh on the other side._

"_Ha-ha! Beat ya gain!" She joked referring to the multiple attempts he tried to chase her to the bathroom._

"_You just wait, babe. Just wait…" He teased tapping on the door mischievously._


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, we should get going." Melody said looking down at the copied paper.

"Mells, what went on with you and your dad?" MacTavish asked walking beside her casually.

"Trust me, it's nothing." She said shaking her head.

He didn't press on, but he still wondered about it.

Becca:

Becca sat there at the table. Melody was gone, according to the note, to New York. How long was she going to be there? They had a mission to worry about in the same exact location! Why did she choose to go now? Charlie had finally cried himself to sleep. Poor kid just wants his Mommy. Which brought her back to why Melody could've thought to leave? She didn't explain why on the note, just that she was going and wouldn't be back for a while. She slammed her head against the table in frustration. What could be so important in New York that she had to go a week early? She got up, took asleep Charlie in her arms, and walked out the apartment to find Price. If anyone should, he would know where and why Melody would leave. It was hard to hold Charlie and dodge troops either training or just playing catch, basketball, or tackle football. She finally found Price in the briefing room, standing over files. She silently walked in.

"Price?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes, Rebecca?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in worry, he only used her full name when he was annoyed. She jokingly thought Dunn must've been in here or that she had only been in the room for five seconds and he was already annoyed.

"Why did Melody leave? And MacTavish." She asked balancing Charlie on her lap as she sat down in the revolving chair beside him.

He sighed and sat down in front of her. "I honestly don't know, but if my instincts serve me well, she probably went to New York early so she could get her family out of there. And MacTavish probably just followed along." He said rubbing his temples.

"Wait, Melody has a family? Well, beside her dad." She asked.

"Yeah, but they have no idea she's actually alive. Her father fixed it so it looked like she died of pneumonia inside the base. It was always a bloody rainforest in there. That's why I always tried to get you the hell outta there." He said with a grin.

"I may never say it much but thank you so much. You are officially the best dad ever!" She joked.

"You bet and don't forget it either." He smiled and tapped on her chin, finger curved.

Becca smiled. Best talk she had with Dad in a while.

Melody & MacTavish:

"I can't get out." Melody said gripping the steering wheel with a strong grip. They were parked in front of her house.

"Mells, you're already in her driveway. You have to get out." MacTavish said.

"Yeah. But how about this. You pretend to sell magazines and I, run like hell." She said faking an excited bounce- turn to him.

'Uh, no. But we can get out of the car and go to the door and knock." MacTavish said getting out of the car.

Melody continued to sit there as MacTavish circled around the car to her side. "I liked my plan better." She murmured as MacTavish appear beside.

"It's now or never, mate." He said.

She looked up at him and opened the car door and stood in front of the car.

"Don't leave, please." She whispered to MacTavish.

She couldn't believe she said it aloud. God, I'm an idiot, she scolded herself.

They came up to the wood painted door and knocked twice. MacTavish stood a step behind her though she hated it so much. She felt alone without someone beside her. Her heart stopped as she heard a voice and rushed footsteps come to the door.

"Coming!" Called, what she guessed to be, her younger sister. Wasn't she going to be shocked?

After a second, the familiar click-click of the door opening almost made Melody want to faint.

The door opened with a swoosh and Melody saw her sister, petite, blonde, brown eyes. She held a small girl on her hip who was identical to her.

"Hi." Melody said through a harsh breath.

"Hello." She said. She made a face as if she knew the face in front of her. Little did she know it was her older sister. An older female voice trailed behind her.

"Kris, who's at the door?" She asked.

"Hold on a sec! I'm sorry; hi I'm Krista, what's your name."

Melody faked a smile and said. "Melody. And this is my friend John, but I call him MacTavish."

"Who is it, Kris?" The voice called again.

Melody smirked.

"They are John and Melody, okay?" Krista called back some annoyed.

"Did you say Melody?" The woman asked again.

"Yes."

The next noise was the sound of someone sitting up from a couch and rushed footsteps come to the door. Then, a tall woman with short brown hair, some smile lines and wrinkles on her face, with bright green eyes came in view. Melody gasped, she knew this woman. Melody felt like she stepped into some three dimensional world. She was known as dead. She couldn't be alive! But it was her, she knew that face anywhere. Melody's breath grew shallow as she slowly stepped inside, forgetting this wasn't her home, completely distracted by the woman. She stood in front of her.

"Mom?" Melody asked, tears making her voice hoarse.

"Melody? Is it really you? You're dead." The woman pressed, stroking Melody's long brown hair.

"Yeah, it's me. It's your dreamer." Melody said happily.

The woman quickly took Melody in her arms and pressed her against her chest. She was afraid to let go, knowing if she did her Melody would be gone again.

"Whoa whoa, wait! Mom? What's going on here?" Krista asked putting her daughter down. MacTavish stepped in, nodding in agreement.

Melody ignored them and kept a hold on her mother's neck. Melanie broke apart to look at her other daughter. "It's a long story." She explained to both her and Melody.

They all sat in the living room as Melanie started explaining the whole thing.

"Well, I guess we should start by saying that about ten years ago, your father, Ben came to get Melody. Krista you were just a baby then so he didn't suggest to take you." Melanie started.

"Isn't she lucky." Melody murmured.

Krista arched an eyebrow at her.

"Well, after a heated argument , I told, well yelled at him, to leave. It was then I knew that I probably had no choice. He was a general, how could I compete with that. He could've told them I was abusing you two and it'd come out true with the jury. But, I faked a heart problem. I've always had a weak heart, ever since I was young, so my old double came and faked the death for me. I know what you're thinking; I must be heartless if I let someone die for me. Well, what happened was that she was an undercover agent in the C.I.A so she had access to a specific injection that would make her legally dead for maybe four or five hours. Well, we were able to replace her body with a fake one just in time before they could bury her. I know this sounds crazy, but I knew you were constantly going to mention me there, and your father would've hated that. I died for you." Melanie said turning to her eldest daughter and patted her hand.

Normally, anyone would be furious with her. But Melody didn't care; her mother was alive that's all that mattered to her. She smiled at her ignoring the feeling of MacTavish's eyes on her face.

"So, enough about me. What about you two? Are you two, uh, together?" Melanie asked glancing back and forth at Melody and MacTavish.

Melody held back her laughter. "No way. Not going down Romance Street again, thank you." Melody said sitting back in the couch.

MacTavish just chuckled at her, even though he felt slightly hurt. Was he that bad? And what about not going down Romance Street **again?**

"Again?" MacTavish asked before anyone could say something next.

Melody sighed. "Caught that didn't ya? Well, about five or so years ago, I joined the Army Marines. When I did, I met four particular people. Might wanna listen closely on the names Mom." She said gesturing to Melanie. "Ronan Clarke, Steven Parks, Shaun Blakely, and Mallory Williams."

"Mallory Williams? You don't mean Brittany's daughter do you? Your cousin!" Melanie said happily.

"Um, quick question, who's Mallory?" Krista chimed in.

"Mallory is your aunt's daughter. Brittany was your father's sister; she died in a car accident about a month after Mallory was born." Melanie explained.

"Oh, that's so sad." Krista said looking down at her feet.

"Well, Steven and Shaun we're my best friends, and Mallory. She was engaged you know. Some guy back home. And well, Ronan. I loved Ronan." Melody said shyly with a smile remembering her Australian friend.

"Aw." Krista said with a cheesy smile.

MacTavish felt awkward knowing it was mainly a mother/daughter/sister conversation going on, but when he heard her say she loved him, he felt something boil slightly inside him.

"Yeah, but it didn't last long." She hesitated.

"Well, what happened?" Krista pressed.

"Well, one day we were given orders by our commander, General Shepherd, to go and infiltrate a secret safe house of one codenamed "Kingfish". I was still a sergeant then, still believed in orders. I took my squad, including the four. Well, we were losing some our squad until it came down to the five of us. I told them to press on." Melody paused. The memory the only thing in her mind.

"_Blakely, Parks cover the left flank!" Melody called out as she reloaded her M4A1._

"_Covering!" Parks yelled back._

_Melody jumped up from behind the car she took cover behind and charged towards the distant house. She could hear the whizzing of bullets skimming her legs and head. She took her gun over her head and blind fired, praying she at least shot someone. The yells of men around her echoed in her ears as landmines shot off near the house._

"_Get down! Get down!" Melody yelled into her earpiece._

_She saw Mallory's curly blonde hair fall down with her body as she hit the ground and covered her head._

'_Good.' Melody thought. 'But where's Ronan….?' Melody thought to herself._

_Just as quick she thought it, she saw a Russian storm up to him and whack him with the butt of his gun, causing him to fall back._

"_Ronan!" She gasped._

_She sprinted across the yard and jumped over a bench placed in her path and punched the Russian in the face. She pulled out her M9 pistol and took two quick shots to the head, ending the Russian._

"_Get your ass up and pay attention!" She warily yelled at him. She leaned down and took his wrist, forcing him up._

"_Fox One, you got ten-plus foot mobiles infiltrating in your area." The Pilot echoed in her ear._

"_Roger that Command; Bravo Team moving to objective." Melody said swiftly moving up with her now small squad. It was quiet except for the rushed Russian chatter coming from the house._

_As they came closer to the door, Ronan came beside her fixing to breach. "Mells, you think this is a good idea? We're heavily outnumbered." He whispered._

_Melody loved the man, but rolled her eyes in frustration. When she was in the midst of a war the only thing that came to her mind was getting the mission done and the required objective completed. "Clarke, cut the chatter. Command, Fox One moving to breach." Melody snapped at Ronan then said to command via comm. _

"_Roger that Fox One. Fox One, be advised multiple tangos in the house, over." Command came back after a second._

"_Roger that Command. Charlie tree one, Tango one six. Roger Out." Melody finally said._

"_Bravo Team, breach and clear. We're not leaving 'til we finish this 'Kingfish'". Melody said to the others._

"_Ronan, do it." Melody nodded at him._

_He nodded back and placed the pack of C4 on the door in front of them._

_The small explosion of both theirs and the others came from around the back._

_Melody swung her M4A1 from her side and saw four tangos attempting to escape through the kitchen. Three quick shots finished them and they fell limply to the floor, puddles of blood polishing the ground under them. Melody still heard chatter around her. She sprinted across the room, gun raised to her face checking her corners, as she came to the office near a hallway. She peaked across the wall, seeing three other Russians spot her and immediately swing their guns at her. She quickly shot them before they could even lift a finger to the trigger._

"_Hallway clear." Melody advised the others._

"_Roger that Fox One, kitchen clear." Mallory's voice rang her ear._

"_Roger that Williams, Clarke check the basement with Parks; breach and clear." Melody ordered._

"_Roger." Ronan said sprinting down the stairs._

"_Squad, I'm moving upstairs." Melody said sprinting up the stairs. More murmured voices came from one room and the bright light of computers in use._

"_Alone? Are you nuts? There's like ten guys in there." Ronan barked at her._

"_I know what I'm doing, Ronan. I'll be fine and if not, then remember what I told you last night." Melody whispered. The night before she had told him she loved him._

"_Back at ya, Mells." Ronan said._

_She grinned for a second then breached the door. Everything slowed down and Melody quickly shot down three tangos, but then she fell to the floor as someone came up and punched her in the face._

"_Argh!" She cried out, grabbing her nose. She sat on the ground, blood trickling down her face. Her head was dizzy and her feet trembled beneath her as she attempted to stand back up. Her attacker struck her again with his foot, kicking her in the stomach. Though it hurt terribly, Melody stood back up. She jumped up on the man who she knew to be their main objective. He quickly threw her off of him and back onto the stone floor and kicked her in the face twice. She knew something was broken, but she swung her leg around, kicking him behind his knees. He fell to the ground beside her and she immediately rolled over on top of him. He elbowed her in the face and she rolled off his side. Kingfish slowly stood up, meeting Melody as she leaned against one of the table for support. She reached for her M9, but he grabbed her wrist and knocked it from her hand._

"_Dammit." She murmured. _

_He took her arm and spun her around, throwing her M4A1 across the room. She took that moment to quickly punch him in the face, then took his arms and kicked him quickly in the stomach._

"_That was fun." Melody joked._

_He kicked her in the chin. She jumped back to her table. She saw a pistol lying beside her hand; she quickly grabbed it and aimed at him, finger pulling the trigger. A mocking click came from the gun and she angrily turned the gun over and kicked Kingfish in the side and whacked him with the side of the gun. Just as Melody was reaching for Kingfish's own pistol, a voice screamed at her._

"_Melody, Parks and Williams are down. Shaun's dead. You gotta get do here imm-"Ronan's voice screamed warily._

_It caught her off guard and the only thing she could think of is what happened to him. Kingfish used that moment of weakness grabbed her by her hair and smashed her face against the stone floor. He leaned down and took the earpiece from her ear._

"_Thank you, Melody, for new targets." He hissed in her ear, Russian accent deep in his voice. She sat there, half conscious, watching Kingfish walk away and all she could hear was the sound of a RPD being shot and she heard the familiar of her friends as they were shot dead downstairs._

_She began to cry there, mourning for her best friends. It was all her fault; she should've fallen back on the mission when she had the chance. Mallory, Shaun and Steven would be alive right now. If she had thought of her team's lives instead of taking down Kingfish, she would've told command to send for an early extraction point and they could have retreated. At least they would've been alive. Ronan's voice yelled at Kingfish downstairs._

"_What have you done with Melody?" _

_There was no reply; at least of what she heard, but she began to cry harder. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she heard the fast sound of bullets emptying into her Ronan's body. She knew he was dead; there was no way he could've survived that. Or did he defeat Kingfish? She never found her desired answer, but slipped into unconsciousness. She slowly awoke sometime later. Lights shone in her face, blinding her. She swatted them away and fought against the hands as they tried to put a ventilator on her. They were yelling something at each other, something about a broken rib cage. She tried to get up; in hopes she would find Ronan or one of her friends beside her, but she screamed out in pain as a shocking snap came from her chest. They gave her a shot in the arm, causing her to fall back asleep. When she finally awoke again, she was lying in a hospital bed. The sheets were stainless white and a curtained off area. She was surrounded monitors, poles, oxygen equipment, and some medical personnel. It hurt to breath, Kingfish kicked her so many times in the chest area it affected her lungs. Her side screamed in pain when she just simply turned her torso an inch over. The medical personnel began to take notes on her behavior and checked their machinery. Melody realized she wouldn't be able to do anything so she laid back into her pillow, listening to the sound of the monitor beeping softly, breathed along with the sound of white noise of hissing air and listening to the low hum of assorted medical machinery that provided a twinkling constellation of red and green lights. She looked sleepily up at the IV bags of clear fluid along with the unit of blood dangled overhead. The tubes snaked down towards her like vines in a jungle. Melody's face was pale and she nearly blended in with the bed sheets. A nurse came in to check on her and placed an icepack on her face, just below her left eye. Her face was bruised from her previous beating and her nose was broken which was bridged with a bandage. She was just out of surgery and she felt so alone. Just like she was when she first came to the academy. She knew her father would never step place in here and it's not like she had any other family members to come and visit. She started to think of Mallory and Ronan again. Tears streaked down her face, knowing that she would never see them again. That's all she wanted now, someone anyone. Hell, she would've been overjoyed to even see Shepherd, even though she didn't trust him at all. She felt an IV taped to the back of her hand and the other had a glowing red pulse oximeter clipped to her index finger. She wanted to just rip the things from her and run away. Run with no desired location, just run. She had never really done that before; she was usually running for her life. But she had always loved to just get up and run, feel the wind fly in her hair, ground flying past her feet, the feel of freedom so close she could taste it. But she knew she wouldn't be running any time soon. She heard someone tap on the door. Her eyes slowly looked towards the sound as a man came inside. She knew him as Shepherd's right hand man. She half-heartedly grinned as the man came over and sat down next to her._

"_Hello, Ms. Johnston." He said with a warm smile._

_She nodded and tried to give a weak salute. He just pulled her hand back down._

"_You don't have to do that. With all that you've done, I should be saluting you, Sergeant." He joked._

"_Yeah, but it's not very salute worthy. I didn't… get any Intel on Kingfish… and my team mates…" She hesitated._

"_They died with honor, Sergeant. I know how you felt about them, so." He said pulling out four military dog tags and placing them on her table beside the bed._

"_They wanted you to have them and the families didn't mind. Take it easy, Captain." He said standing up._

"_Sir? Did you say captain?" She asked weakly._

"_You bet, once you are completely healed, you'll handpick your team. Rest easy." He said with a smile._

_Melody smiled at the thought. She was finally a captain, but what could she do now, she didn't want to do anything. Those she loved had died again. What was the point now? Melody fell back asleep as she thought over her options._

"Oh my god, that's so sad!" Krista said with a sad expression.

"Yeah, well that's me. But guys I think we should get down to business. Meaning why we came here." Melody said.

"What's that?" Melanie asked turning over to her.

"Makarov, the man we've be hunting and the one who started all this chaos a year ago, is planning on attacking New York. I want to make sure you guys are far away from New York in a week." She explained looking back and forth at Melanie and Krista.

"How do you know?" Krista asked glancing over at MacTavish.

"Trust me, ma'am. We know a lot on this man. Everyone is determined in hunting him down and ending him, once and for all." MacTavish said standing up.

"Exactly. And I'm definitely making sure he's dead this time." Melody said standing up with MacTavish.

"You're not leaving already are you?" Melanie asked hoping off from the couch.

"I'm afraid we have to. We kinda left suddenly on all our team mates. We're gonna be in for a lecture when we get back. It's so amazing to see you again Mom. And you too Krista." Melody said hugging Melanie for what felt like the last time, and then hugged Krista.

There was an awkward silence among them all and Melody and MacTavish turned to leave and walked out the door. Melody stood there, Melanie and Krista stood in the front lawn to watch them leave.

"Melody wait!" Melanie called out.

Melody stopped and walked over to her mother. She pulled out a camera and took a quick picture with both her phone and camera. "Don't wanna forget that beautiful face." She said with a warm smile.

Melody did her best to hide back her tears and hugged her mother's neck one more time.

The all waved good-bye and when Melody reached down to start the car; MacTavish reached out and touched her hand.

"Melody." He began. "I had no idea what happened before. Now that I now, I am so sorry for your loss." He said trying his best to comfort her.

She just stared at him for a second. "It's alright. It's not like you did it or anything. No need to sorry's." She said starting the car on her last word.

The only thing noise that was made was the humming of the engine and the song playing on the CD.

'I can't bite my tongue forever  
>While you try to play it cool<br>You can hide behind your stories  
>But don't take me for a fool<p>

You can tell me that there's nobody else  
>(But I feel it)<br>You can tell me that you're home by yourself  
>(But I see it)<br>You can look into my eyes and pretend all you want  
>But I know, I know your love is just a lie<br>It's nothing but a lie

And you look so innocent  
>But the guilt in your voice gives you away<br>Yeah, you know what I mean.'

**So, how am I doing? And don't be afraid to say how terrible the action scene was. It was pretty bad! But anyways. I don't think I really have a chapter question, but a little notification, I will be making my own missions. I will try and do my very best on them and if they don't suite you... Well, you can't please everybody. At least I tried hard, right? But anyway, stay tuned and don't be afraid to R&R. **

**(And oh yeah, lyrics are from Love is a Lie by Simple Plan)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi, just a lil reminder, I do not own any of the characters except Melody, Becca, Charlie and all my other OC's. And I promise there will be action scenes! Just have a lil patience. Please.**

Melody stepped out of the car and felt the familiar dry wind of the base whip her hair around. She was glad to be back now she could see Charlie and everyone else. She still had so much to train for. Her thoughts screamed at her all the way here. Her mother was alive, her sister knew she was alive, and now they were going to leave New York. Hopefully. She prayed they took her advice and moved as soon as possible. Knowing she was going to be in for a lecture she reached over and grabbed her Mp3 player and put on a loud song. She walked through the base, seeing shocked faces look twice at her direction and listened to the lyrics as she watched Price walk up to her.

'_Something's getting in the way.  
>Something's just about to break.<br>I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane.  
>As I burn another page,<br>As I look the other way.  
>I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane.<br>So tell me how it should be._

_Desperate, I will crawl_  
><em>Waiting for so long<em>  
><em>No love, there is no love.<em>  
><em>Die for anyone<em>  
><em>What have I become?'<em>

Price yanked out her headphones. "Will you take those out!" He murmured annoyed.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Melody said crossing her arms.

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. "Never mind. I don't think it would've sunk in anyway." He said and walked away.

MacTavish snorted as he held back his laughter. She elbowed him in the ribs lightly.

"Ow." He said rubbing his side.

Well, she thought she hit him lightly. She shook her head and spotted Becca trying to restrain a squirming Charlie. She smiled and ran over to him. He squealed and jumped up in Melody's arms. Becca sighed in relief and sat back in one of the outside benches.

"Sorry. I had to make sure my family was alright." She apologized seeing Becca's exhausted face.

"Well, I guess I understand, but ever leave again and your troops are your problem!" She said looking over at men either doing push-ups or running the course.

She arched an eyebrow. "Did you train my squad while I was gone?" Melody asked with a grin.

Dunn came over with a smile and patted Melody's shoulder. "Look what the cat drug in." He joked standing between the two.

"Well, I had to train them. One idiot with a gun is enough." She said nodding at Dunn.

"Jesus, I wasn't even here for five minutes and she's already flirting." Dunn teased patting Becca's shoulder.

Becca's smile disappeared and she furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait. I was not flirting!" Becca said standing up.

"Sure." Dunn said giving her a fake thumbs up.

Becca slapped him in the face. Not very hard, but hard enough to cause a slight slap. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Michael Dunn put me down!" Becca yelled.

"Not until you admit you like me, _Rebecca."_ He teased in her ear.

All he got out of that was a slap on the head.

"C'mon Dunn, put her down." Melody laughed.

"Yeah, yeah one sec." He said with a grin.

"You know, you probably weigh like what? 109? Something like that? I've picked up heavier things than you before." Dunn said keeping an arm around Becca's legs.

"Oh what, like your sister." Becca smack talked.

That caused Ramirez and some other men (who had stopped to see Dunn carrying Becca over the shoulder) to let out a chorus of, 'ooohh!' Melody laughed at both the private and his friends and at Becca. She walked around Dunn and stuck out her hand toward her friend.

"Nice one!" Melody said with a smile.

"Thanks." Becca looked up at her through her long red locks.

"Dude, I think she was staring at your ass." One said as he came up to Dunn.

"Oh, really? Enjoying the view, Abrams?"

"Urgh! Put me down, Dunn!" Becca yelled angrily, her cheeks grew as red as her hair.

"C'mon Dunn, put her down. We all have to be training soon." Melody said.

"Fine, but Becca you got out easy on that one. You just wait." He said mockingly pointing his finger in her face. She just rolled her eyes and swatted his hand away.

Becca stood there, straightening her uniform and brushing her hand through her red curls.

"God, I swear he makes me hate him sometimes." Becca angrily grumbled to Melody.

"_Some_times." Melody teased.

Becca gasped softly. "Now don't you start." She said hitting her stomach.

Melody smiled and walked over to her squad. They all jumped up seeing their captain, two saluted.

"You two must be new. You don't salute me, I may be your captain, but you don't have to." Melody explained. The past events made her lose all her confidence and even though she was rewarded through those actions as captain, she let four of her closest friends get killed. Why should she be saluted for that?

MacTavish:

MacTavish stepped inside his apartment and threw his bag on the chair. He sat at the table and placed his face in his hands. Melody's story dwelled in his mind all day. How could some many terrible things happen to someone like her? He didn't believe all she called herself. Crazy, idiotic, failure. The complete opposite. She was a captain of her own squad, how could she have so little belief in herself? He wished there was some way he could just show her that she wasn't, refill her confidence she had before the mission when she lost her friends. One of her files lay on the table some feet away from him. It was one he said he wouldn't open. It was about her past; her younger years. She always mentioned, but never really explained. Could there be something she's hiding? Even though how irresistible it was, he knew he could pry into her past. Especially when that's the last thing she wanted anyone to know. He looked over at the folder one more time and lost it. He snatched the file and opened to the first page. She looked about four or six. It showed her birthdate, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, but he already knew about that stuff so he flipped to the next page. It was a copy of a recorded document. She was in therapy when she was six. Reports of violence, and attempted murder of the other children at the academy. It said she snuck out of her room and nights and constantly attacked the boys and even tried to attack her father. It showed her sitting in a chair, scar on her left cheek and bruise on her arm. She must have been wrestled into the office because her hair stuck up in some places and was, honestly, a mess. The information on the side had her quotes, numerous sayings of trying to kill her fellow students. The doctor had asked her why she wanted to hurt them. She replied saying, 'I don't like getting close with people, so it's easier to just get rid of them.' MacTavish slammed the folder down. He knew why Melody wouldn't want anyone to see her old files. Normally, anyone would fear her. Maybe even distrust her, but MacTavish knew Melody. She would never do anything like that, especially with Charlie. He tried to pull his mind to something else, less important than what he just learned. It was hard, but he managed to stray his thoughts to something simple like what's the date. Then he realized it was August 18th, a day before Melody's birthday. 'Huh.' He thought. Knowing Melody, she would be pissed off if they did anything for her birthday. But it was also approaching their time to fight against Russians in New York. What a birthday present. He scoffed and sat up from the table. Before he finally fell asleep that night, he ate something then his minds went back on Melody. He groaned and shoved his face into his pillow, hoping to force her out of his mind. Didn't work as well as he hoped. Her story ran through his mind again. This Ronan, she loved him and she had to hear him die. He then thought about what it would be like to hear someone you care so much about die and being able to do a damn thing about it. This made his vengeance for Makarov somewhat stronger. When he finally fell asleep, to his surprise, he even dreamed about her.

_He could see her, she wrestled against Makarov though he was older and had years of experience on her. Makarov quickly threw her against the wall with all his might. Her head banged on the wall, making her dizzy. She clutched her broken arm and slid down the wall weakly._

"_Melody!" He yelled._

_She didn't respond, but just looked over weakly at him. Makarov came up, forced her up, and hit her again. MacTavish felt all his anger boil inside him, he lashed out at Makarov, forcing him to the ground. But before he could do anything, Makarov pulled out a pistol and quickly shot Melody twice in the stomach while she sat on the ground holding her arm. MacTavish looked around, seeing Melody take gasps of breath, hand placed on her stomach as blood soak her brown shirt and ran over her fingers. With Melody's wound the only thing on his mind, he jumped off Makarov and immediately sat down next to Melody._

"_Melody! Are you alright?" He asked holding her upright against the wall._

"_No! I just got…shot... in the stomach." She paused." Nothing wrong." She finished angrily._

"_Right stupid question." He said quickly taking off her equipment vest and throwing it aside. He ripped her shirt, revealing two clean shots in her torso. He knew she wasn't going to make it he didn't do something. And quick. He tore a piece from his own shirt and some cloth in his small medial kit._

"_Don't worry, Mells. You're gonna be fine." He murmured as he did his best to stop some of the bleeding._

_Her breathing grew shallow and harsh. She stared up at the ceiling. "…MacTavish..." She forced out._

"_Yeah, Mells?" He asked quickly feeling her pulse. It had begun to slow down. He began to panic._

"_Reminds me…of that song." She paused trying to breath. She began to hoarsely sing. "I won't last long… in this world so wrong… Say good-bye…as we dance with the devil tonight." She stopped there, eyelids fluttering._

_His heart raced as he felt Melody giving up in his arms. "No, Melody! Don't, wake up!" He panicked touching her face doing everything he could to wake her up. But it was useless, she was gone. Not letting his mind get the better of him, placed his hand below the collar of her shirt. He prayed that she was just sleeping or unconscious. He prayed to feel the slightest 'thump thump' of her heart beating under her shirt. He felt nothing. Melody was gone. _

"_No." He whispered. Her favorite song filled his ears, mocking him of his loss._

'_It seems so far, that I have gone down this road  
>Only to find that it ends<br>Looking back there is one thing that I know  
>I can't make it all alone again<br>Cause I'm too weak to stand on my own  
>When all I need is you<em>

So lead me, guide me, hold me, hide me in love  
>With all that you are, and all that you do<br>Hear me, take me, mold me, break me oh God.  
>Just fill all of me. As I fall into you.<p>

Just catch me as I fall  
>All this time, I have felt so alone<br>Losing myself in my despair  
>What loving arms, you were waiting for me to let go<br>Of every step you were there  
>Cause I'm too weak, to stand on my own<br>When all I need, is you

So lead me, guide me, hold me, hide me in love  
>With all that you are, and all that you do<br>Hear me, take me, mold me, break me, oh God.  
>Just fill all of me.<p>

Oh my child, how I have longed, for you to come home, to where you belong  
>All of your life, if you could just see all of my joy, when you are here with me<br>Oh my child (Lead me)  
>How I have longed (Guide me)<br>For you to come home (Hold me)  
>To where you belong (Hide me in love)<br>And all of your life  
>If you could just see all of my joy (With all that you are)<br>When you are here with me (All that you do)

Hear me, take me, mold me, break me oh God  
>Just fill all of me<br>As I fall into you.'

_MacTavish shocked himself by doing something he hadn't done in years; he held Melody in a tight grip and began to cry. His tears fell on her face, over her eyes and mouth._

He woke with a start, breathing hard heart racing. Had he really dreamed that? It seemed so real. Did he really have feelings that strong for Melody? He knew the answer. How could he be so stupid to avoid it?

Melody:

"For you, Mommy" Charlie said handing her a picture.

"For me?" She said with a smile. She took the picture and looked at the multi-colored scribbles on the page. Melody laughed. "Thank you, sweetie." She said kissing his curly head. She picked up her son and immediately began tickling him around his sides and his ribs. The wonderful sound of Charlie's thrilled laughter filled the room, making Melody's smile ear to ear.

"I love you, Mommy." He said hugging her neck.

Melody was a little shocked. She wasn't really used to anyone saying that. But she couldn't just sit there, she did love him, so why is it so hard to say it?

"Mommy loves you too, Charlie." She said hugging him.

"Hate to break the cute little moment there, but here." Becca said forcing a colorfully wrapped box in her hands. Melody placed Charlie on her knee.

"Becca I told you you didn't have to do anything for my birthday." Melody said placing the box on the ground.

"Yeah, yeah I know, now open it!" She said happily forcing the box back in her hands._  
><em>Melody just smiled and began to open the box. She tore slowly through the paper, just to aggravate Becca, and then opened it to find her bracelet and American flag pin sitting there. Melody arched her eyebrow.

"My bracelet and pin?" She asked.

"I know what you're thinking so before you start saying 'I already have this' lookie here. She said picking them up. She placed the bracelet in her hands and found the spot where the tracking chip was placed at. But it wasn't there along with the American flag pin.

"Oh my god, Becca! How'd you-?" She said with a smile.

"Well, being Captain Price's daughter can be a big advantage." She said with a smile.

"Thanks Becca. This is a two-in-one present actually." Melody said putting the bracelet on her wrist. Charlie examined it in his chubby fingers, playing with the New York and France charm.

"What do you mean?" Becca asked.

"My every step isn't tracked and you just totally pissed off my dad!" She said hugging her neck.

Becca laughed.

After her usual morning routine, she stepped out to go train her newest squad members. It was a rough day. Some didn't even know how to hold the gun properly. So a good portion of the morning was spent on how to hold it. By noon, they had just managed to finish the shooting area. Some were shot down. Melody knew it was going to take the whole week just to get them to finish The Pit in like, 50 seconds. It'd be a miracle if they could get a higher score. Becca came up to Melody around lunch.

"Hey, did you know MacTavish is like looking around for you?" She asked walking beside her.

"No, why?" She asked with a scoff.

"Dunno, he just asked me to find you. I'm gonna go see Charlie, k?" She said running off towards one of the family buildings. Some of the wife's or girlfriends held a daycare for the children of troops. Gotta keep them secret too. Either Becca or she went to check up him around noon. She passed some older children, maybe twelve or thirteen looking at a textbook, but seemed too thrilled about it. Something was up.

"Hey." She said casually walking up to them.

They had panicked expressions on their faces as they slammed the book down. "Wassup?" One said nervously.

"Oh you know, Math." He said.

"Hmm, then why does is say Biology? And aren't you a little young for Biology?" She said crossing her arms with a grin.

"Never too young for knowledge, ma'am." The other said nervously.

"Then you wouldn't mind if _I_ looked at it?" She asked.

"C-course not, why would we, right Tristan?" He said elbowing his friend.

"Yeah. But haven't you already learned this stuff? And trust me, it sucks nowadays." He said drawing the book back some inches.

She arched her eyebrow. She quickly reached down and took the book before they could pull it back again. She opened and the first page it turned to was the hidden playboy magazine. She pulled it out and held it with two fingers. Their faces turned a bright red.

She grinned. "Your mother's will be very happy to know you're deep in your work." She said taking the magazine.

She could hear them behind her as she walked off.

"I told you it was a dumb idea." One, Tristan, said slapping the other in the back of the head.

"My idea? It was your dumb idea!" He defended himself.

She just chuckled and threw the magazine to a group of younger troops.

"Feast!" She mocked. At least they were old enough to look at them.

One grabbed it and others started piling around him. Some others stood back, those who had girlfriends, resisting the cover girl.

She shook her head. She heard her name being called in an old familiar Scottish accent.

"Melody!" She heard MacTavish call to her.

"Oh, hey Scotland. What's up? Becca said you were looking fo-"She began as MacTavish ran up to her. She was immediately interrupted as MacTavish quickly embraced her and crushed his lips down on hers. Her eyes widened seeing MacTavish so intense like this. But she had to admit, his lips were surprisingly soft for a 'tough as nails' kinda guy. After a moment, MacTavish broke apart, looking back at her. She was some angry with him and confused. He sat back and waited for her reply as other's stared at them like deer in a headlight.

**Chapter Question: How do you think Melody's gonna react to that little kiss from MacTavish? How would you react? For me, it'd be a lil awkward considering i'm only 13. But to those older or younger, completely freak out? Happy? Pass out? Or something different? R&R:)**

**(1st song:Diary of Jane Breaking Benjamin, 2nd Dance with the Devil by Breaking Benjamin, and 3rdFall into You by David Hodges feat. Amy Lee)**

**Thanks for reading and have a great day!**


	10. Chapter 10

Melody stood there shocked. MacTavish stood in front of her towering over her frame as she continued to stare down at the ground. She had to admit, kissing MacTavish was nice. There was a surprising warmness in his lips and arms as he gripped her arms. A silence hung around the entire base, well at least to Melody because her thoughts and emotions screamed so loud that she couldn't hear anything around her except her rapid heart. A sudden feeling inside her made her want to grab him by the collar and never let him escape her lips again, but it feared her to think of him, or any man that way. She had vowed to never love anyone again. She already broke some of that vow with Charlie, but that didn't count. She meant with a man. Every guy she loved died or could never see her again. MacTavish stood there watching her reaction.

"Melody I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He immediately apologized when she didn't say anything.

It was all too much for her. She bumped her shoulder against his as she ran away.

"Melody! Melody!" MacTavish yelled behind her.

She ignored him as she ran past her apartment; she knew that's where they would look for her first, (they meaning MacTavish and Becca). She ran into the small office building where they found family care packages. (They had a secret place where both troops and families could send and accept items from family members. Someone lived in the home outside the base and sent the packages and letters to the base.) The office building was only about four stories high, not like usual offices. She stormed inside, men and women in white shirts and khakis looked over their dividers as they Captain threw herself through the revolving doors, face red, and eyes red as tears threatened against her eyelids. She ran towards an empty elevator and squeezed through. Once inside she reached over and shut down that elevator. She sat in the corner and wrapped her arms around her knees. Her heart raced and her skin burned like a volcano. Her heart also tugged uncomfortably at the thought of MacTavish. How was that kiss going to affect their friendship? She didn't want to lose him. Besides Becca, he was her best friend. The only person she could really be herself with. Now with him having feelings for her…. She didn't want to think about.

'Maybe he just got confused. Maybe mixed emotions?' Melody suggested in her mind.

No, there was more than a simple confused kiss. She could feel it. While she sat there in the muted darkness, she considered what it would be like if she was just normal. Maybe she'd be happy, loved with her family. Her dad would accept her for being her and never force her to do every challenging thing in mankind. Maybe she and her sister would fight like every sibling but continue to protect each other from every opposing thing that threatened them. Maybe they would share secrets and come crying to the other when their heart was broken. Maybe she would've had friends in school. Make the cheerleading squad, fail every test, pass every test, take Cooking as an extra credit. Maybe even fall for the quarterback like every normal girl. She was twenty-three; maybe she could be married or at least engaged. Raise a family of her own? But that wasn't hers to enjoy. She was destined with this harsh life, it's all she had. How could you escape that? Especially if you didn't have nowhere else to escape to.

**MacTavish:**

He looked everywhere for her. He knew she'd be busy with training and he knew not to interrupt that. He knew he still had training to do, but he knew he'd never get any of that done with his thoughts screaming at him.

'Where's Melody? Should you tell her about your feelings? Well, she does deserve to know. You should find Melody. I bet it'd be soft. Her lips, I mean. Wouldn't that be nice; to kiss her…?' He nearly smashed his foot with a dumbbell as his thoughts went astray and he knew some rated R thoughts were coming to his mind. Dunn arched an eyebrow at the man as he dodged the fallen dumbbell.

"You look like hell, man? What's wrong with you?" Dunn asked slapping him on the shoulder.

"It's nothing, mate. Trust me." He said holding the dumbbell with one hand, fixing to place it in its usual place.

Dunn just laughed. "It's funny 'cause the last time you said that got my ass kicked." He said.

"Hey, I told you Melody'd be pissed if you showed me her old files. Especially her CIA files. Didn't think she got absolutely nuts though." He said.

Dunn nodded once in agreement. "True…but there's totally something going up with you. Now, what is it?" Dunn asked, placing his chin in his hands and resting his elbows on his knees.

MacTavish rolled his eyes up. "If something was up, I wouldn't be telling anyone except three specific people." He said standing up.

"And who's that?" Dunn asked jumping up with him.

"Me, myself and I." He pointed out.

"Oh my God, Ramirez check this out! MacTavish made a joke!" Dunn said completely fazed.

MacTavish chuckled and just walked out. He ran his hand over his Mohawk. Once again, his thoughts seemed to trail towards Melody as he walked casually by a group of children. He ruffled the curly red hair of a small boy who laughed in return and straightened his hair. He then saw her with her squad. She was wearing her usual training wear, shorts and a tank top, but this time she wore her yoga pants since she was around some younger troops. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail as she seemed to be instructing them. Her face shared equal emotion as she explained something to them. She arched her eyebrows as she said (by what he could tell) 'Like this.'

She quickly turned and ran towards the course. She started off by jumping up on a wooden obstacle that she had to quickly climb over. It seemed like she flew by on that one and jumped off and immediately sprinted over to the next one. Her small figure quickly flew back and forth as she dodged through some obstacles with its trajectory aimed on tripping whom ever took the course. She then moved on to the next one, another wall climb designed from a tall sandy mountain. She seemed very experienced in climbing; she took each climb with precision and care. Some tricks were hidden inside like a loose fake rock or weak side. She jumped off that on the other side and sprinted to the next. She lunged for the rope and swung across a mud pit. She then jumped for the bars that hung ten or so feet above the ground. Before landing, she did a quick backflip.

"Showoff." He said under his breath.

She placed her hands on her hips and said something that might've been, 'Now you try' or 'who's next?'

He decided to try and talk to her as she supervised her troops, but that was probably a bad idea. He stood there, watching her as she let her face fall in disappointment as each failed in one of the obstacles. One failed face first into the mud. He was in for it as Melody stormed up beside him.

"What the hell was that, soldier? I did this stuff when I was like ten! Now get off your ass and get cleaned up. Jesus Christ!" She yelled at him.

MacTavish chuckled. He spotted Becca walk behind him casually, hands in pockets.

"Oh, hey Becca!" He said turning around and quickly grabbing her wrist.

"What's up?" She asked turning towards him.

"Could you do me a favor?" He asked shyly.

"Yeah. What is it?" She pressed on.

He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Could you just tell Melody I need to talk to her? Please." He asked.

"Sure. Are you alright?" She asked. Everyone seemed to notice his change.

"Yeah, just tell her." He said walking away.

She nodded to herself and looked back at him once as she sprinted towards Melody's troops.

After ten or so minutes he spotted her. He drummed his fingers together nervously. How would he start this? He knew he had to tell her how he felt. But how? What would be her reaction? Maybe he shouldn't say anything. But he already told Becca that he needed to talk with her. What could he say? Something lame like the weather and escape somewhere. Did he exactly have to **say** it? Maybe show her. That might be a good idea. He saw her come closer and she looked up at him as Becca walked away towards the daycare center.

"Oh, hey Scotland. What's up? Becca said you were looking fo-" She began.

He interrupted her thought as he gripped her arms with a sudden intensity and crushed her lips with his. He didn't know what to think, except that something changed inside of him. Every part of his being tensed and tingled as her skin boiled under his. He could feel something change him, even. He craved more as he nearly twisted his fist in her hair, but decided not to because he knew he'd end up hurting her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. So he just held her for another moment or so. His lips molded against hers, shaping around her soft pink lips. His heart raced and all he wanted to do was be completely alone with her. Not have to feel the stares of everyone on them. He breathed in her scent; a nice strawberry scent. He didn't understand why, but the smell drove him crazy. He had to stop. Though every part of his being begged to keep close to her, he quickly broke apart. She didn't say a word but looked completely shocked. She stared at the ground, but what really made him feel like a total ass were her reddening eyes as tears threatened. It broke his heart to think, check that, know that he hurt her and was now making her cry. He wanted to reach out and take her in his arms and beg for forgiveness, but she moved before he could even touch so much as her arm. She quickly ran away from him.

"Melody! Melody!" He yelled for her.

He thought of going after her, but that was the worst idea. He was the one that made her cry. Why would she want to see him?

**Back to Melody in the elevator: **

She had turned the elevator back on, but thankfully no one had discovered her here. Though she finished crying her eyes out like a baby, she couldn't make herself get up and leave. Here in the elevator was almost comforting to her. She didn't have to worry about anything; she was away from those who made her cry and feel awful. Away from MacTavish. She crossed her arms atop her knees and placed her head on her arms. She knew she couldn't stay there forever though. She had to get out sometime. She thought about it, but just continued to stay down. She didn't want to get out of the elevator, she felt safe. She didn't want to go out there and face MacTavish or Becca or anyone. She just wanted to be left alone in the elevator. She felt like everything was turned upside down. In a parallel universe. Was she even Melody anymore? How would parallel Melody handle this? Well, real Melody would want to run away. It was her specialty. But she didn't want to be the real Melody because she knew that she was just a crazed, dangerous, revenge-crazy, terrible person. She let all her friends die and take the pain for her while she hid in some stupid corner. She didn't deserve to be here, be with so many people that cared for her and made sure she was alright. Ronan, Steven, Shaun, Mallory. They were the first unlucky victims of her poisonous love. Who else had to endure the pain? What about her family? Her mother and sister and her new family. Were they going to die because she was so unlovable? She didn't even want to think about Charlie. He even said he loved her this morning. Was he a new role in her trap called love? She prayed something would just sweep by and just take her away, maybe even end her pathetic life. She would never ask for something like this. She wanted someone to love. Someone to care and just be… her. Someone she could laugh with, express an amount of love she could never contain. But was their even such a person as that? Multiple men in her life promised to make her feel safe and protected. They just used her love sometimes. Like when she was fourteen. God, she was so stupid to believe him!

_October 28, 2008_

_Preston House, Washington_

"_C'mon Melody. It's just a party, relax." Darren said taking a shaking Melody's hand._

"_Are you sure about this? My dad would be totally pissed if he saw me here." Melody said resisting._

"_Trust me. It's fine. You're perfectly fine with me." He said pressing his body close to hers and forcing her to look up at his eyes, placing his finger under her chin._

_She smiled and nodded. She took his waiting hand and intertwined her fingers with his._

_She could hear the loud bass from the stereos linger outside. Dangerous by Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon blast from the house, more like mansion. A large chandelier hung above them and a winding staircase circled the far corner of the white house. Swarms of bodies swayed to the music and flashing colorful lights came from every direction, blinding her as she stepped foot in the place. Some couples danced closer than usual and some were pressed against walls, nearly forming into one as they continued, as Melody described, 'sucked each other's throats out'. Some drug each other upstairs and into closets. She gulped nervously as others stared her down like the hunter looking at its prey. A tall skinny boy with excited green eyes bounded over._

"_Hey! What's up man! 'Bout damn time you got here. There's some kegs hidden around everywhere so just help yourselves." He said. He sounded like he'd said that a million times that night._

"_Thanks man." Darren said._

_Melody grinned shyly and tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. _

"_C'mon Melody." He said taking her hand and leading her across to the lighted dance floor._

_She followed him into the crowded floor and dodged drunken bodies to get to the center. He took her arms and threw them around his neck. She smiled at him. Melody continued to look around and swayed her body with everyone else, even mimicking the other taller and older girls. _

"_Is this party chaperoned?" She asked over the music._

_He shook his head. "Naw, that's why it's the best. Preston's party is always once a year; the night of his parent's anniversary. They're usually gone for like a week. Take's the whole other six days to clean up this place. Good thing the bastard's rich. Be a total pain to clean this whole place." Darren explained._

_Melody nodded in agreement. The idea of this being a non-chaperoned party made her want to actually go back to the base. But she couldn't just leave Darren. So she continued to stay. Through the night Darren had drank almost a whole six pack. Maybe almost two. She lost count after seven. He scared her now. But, she just shook off the fear and continued to party with him. Even though she refused, he forced her to down two cups of alcohol. She choked on the nasty liquid. He just laughed at her as she gagged._

"_C'mon Melody. Don't be a pansy!" He said, breathing his nasty alcohol breath in her face. _

_She turned her face from him, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "C'mon babe, don't be like that." He jeered kissing her neck._

_Melody's heart sounded like a drum when his lips touched her neck. She wanted him to stop._

"_Please, Darren stop." She whispered._

_He just laughed. "Aww, are you scared? Scared to be 'unvirginised?' He slurred._

_She gasped at him._

"_She gasps; I uncovered her secret. Ha-ha! It's hard to believe that something like you can still be a virgin. Especially with all the guys you live with. Almost…makes you a slut. In some ways." He slurred._

"_Will you please shut up?" She begged as people turned to see the two near the bar._

"_Hey! Don't you tell me to shut up! My father is the General, dammit! What's yours? A useless, old wanna be?" He mocked._

_Even though she despised her father, she didn't like some drunk saying such things about him. Though she didn't want to admit it, her father was a brilliant and good soldier. It's not his fault the Russians made him so injured that he couldn't fight anymore. She furrowed her eyebrows and slapped him across the face. She knew he would probably try and hurt her back or touch her again, so she turned quickly and pushed through the crowd._

"_Hey! You bitch! Get back here!" He yelled at her._

_She ran out the door and turned the corner; escaping to the cars. She only found Darren as he grabbed her and slung her against the wall. His breath swarmed her face and made her nauseous._

"_That wasn't very nice, kitty. I think you'd better apologize unless you want your 'Daddy' to find out about this. Maybe even tell how I tried everything to make you stop, but you just didn't have any self-control." He slurred. He pressed his body so close to her she could actually feel his heartbeat under his shirt. One arm trapped her against the wall._

"_Please, don't. My dad would kill me and you know it!" She begged._

_He was amused in her fear. He traced down her hairline, over her chin, brushed past her collarbone, and rimmed his fingers just above her cleavage. "Hmmm" He murmured. He felt her hammering heartbeat. "Scared are we, pet?" He asked._

"_Please, let me go home." She begged. She knew what he wanted and she just wanted to run away._

"_Oh, I don't think I can let you go home, sweetheart." He chuckled._

_With a slight whimper, he dragged Melody towards his car._

_She pulled against his hand; knowing what was fixing to happen. "Please, Darren please! Let me go, I'm begging you!" She pleaded, tears forming in her eyes._

"_Shut up!" She snarled, throwing her in the back of the jeep. _

_Not a soul was outside and all the neighbors had gone to sleep. All that could be heard was Melody's muffled screams._

"_Agghhhh! Help!" _

_Unfortunately, no help came for Melody._

_After the whole incident, she laid there, hair ruffled, make-up smeared, her clothing barely covered her naked body. Long mascara lines stained her cheeks. Darren had passed out on top of her. The jeep reeked of vomit and the awful smell she didn't even want to name that came from him. She did her best to fix her clothes and pushed his body off of hers. She was able to get out of the jeep without him waking up. Melody nearly fell as she tripped on her broken heel. She caught herself on the trunk of the jeep. She prayed the motion wouldn't wake him up. Thankfully, he was KO. Melody just stood there, shivering in complete fear. She let all that had just happened to her sink slowly in. She immediately took off running towards the highway no matter how hard it was. She walked along the side of the road, fingers twitching and head shaky. People would look over at her; thinking the worst had happened to her, but just continued on driving. She wished someone would help her, but who knows who would actually help her. A good portion of the night was spent puking on the side of the road and stopping to rub her blistering feet. She wanted to disappear as she heard the familiar song on a car radio. It was her favorite CD. Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin. Darren. She prayed for a miracle as she walked closer to the end of the road and let her tangled mess called hair curtain off her face. She could barely see his drunken face as he whizzed by. She felt some relieved, but that didn't stop what he did to her. He could vanish off the side of the earth but it still wouldn't matter. She was scarred, more than any wound or cut could make._

Melody began to cry more. Why did this all have to happen? Was she that terrible? She knew she had flaws, terrible ones. She knew she wasn't perfect, but was anyone really? She wouldn't dare wish this to be inflicted upon someone else. Nobody deserved what happened to her. No one deserved her life. She wished she had someone right now she could just curl into their arms and stay there forever. Escape the frightening and cruel world and find some peace. Be comforted and be assured that everything was fine even though it was a complete lie. She didn't have to believe it; she just wanted to hear it. Her mascara lined her face as more tears slid down her face and sobs shook her body. She heard a ding and immediately hid her face from view, but continued to cry. Her visitor could see her back thrust up and down as harsh sobs continued wrenching at her chest.

"Melody. What's wrong?" She heard Price ask.

She was surprised to hear his voice, but it was much better from hers and her thoughts. "What isn't wrong with me, Price?" She answered. She lifted her head up; revealing the terrible make-up mess on her face.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Melody." He said placing a hand on her back.

"I know you're just saying that. I'm not three." She sniffed and placed her chin on her knees.

"Yes but not completely true." He said.

She sniffed. "What do you mean?" She asked through a sob.

"I am trying to comfort you, but I'm also telling the truth. There is nothing wrong with you. It's those that did it to you with the problem. Though you may deny it, you are one of the best soldiers I know. You're strong, independent, loyal, and brave. I'm guessing you don't want me to go on." Price said sitting down beside her.

She grinned. "Do you really mean that?" She asked looking over at him.

"I wouldn't lie to you Melody. Now tell me; why are you here?" He said looking at the four corners of the elevator.

"Hiding." She said taking a deep breath.

"From what?" He asked wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She took a second the think about it. She escaped from all of her memories, her past, and even the present. It took her a moment to finally answer him. "Everything."

"Well, I think it's time you faced your fears. C'mon, time to get up." He said with a huff as he stood up again and offered his hand.

She looked up at him. She didn't want to leave the comfort of the elevator. It was a small room and she didn't have to worry about everything beyond the elevator doors. But, she knew it was time to get over everything. Not just get up and leave the elevator; she knew he meant everything in her past. Darren, her father, Ronan and her friends. They were gone now and you couldn't change the past; no matter how much they managed to pop back up. It was time to find a new start, a new chance at a better life. Maybe she wouldn't find it here, but it was somewhere out there for her. She had great people here who were willing to take a shot for her even though she thought she didn't deserve such loyal people in her life. She would always love her past. She could never forget Ronan or Steven and Shaun. Ronan was the first person she ever loved; no one can forget that. Steven and Shaun, what wasn't wonderful about them. They continually teased her, with no harsh feelings intended, but only because she loved to hear their laughter at their own jokes. Mallory was her cousin, her own blood relative. She will always be missed no matter what, but she was gone and nothing could stop that.

Melody nodded once and brushed her hair back from her face and took his hand. He grinned at her and led her out the door. It all hit her the moment she stepped outside. The people in the office that saw her strange outburst asked her if she was alright as she walked by. She didn't answer but gave them a smile to reassure them. Price continued to keep an arm on her shoulders as she shook still. Melody felt a homey vibe throughout the whole base as Price led her back to her apartment. She even saw the pale and wary face of MacTavish as he looked at her smeared face. She tried to reassure his crazed thoughts with a weak smile. His shoulders tensed some but he continued to stare at her as she disappeared behind the door. Price walked up to Becca and MacTavish.

"I think she'll want to be alone for a while." He said patting MacTavish's shoulder.

Becca nodded and MacTavish just stared at her door. He felt terrible. He made Melody feel that way. It was his entire fault. He wished he could apologize for what he did; for hurting her. But, was he really sorry for the kiss?

Melody went into the bathroom and turned the faucet on. She stared at herself, she looked terrible. She wiped the make-up from her face and thought she looked normal. Before she decided to lie down on the couch, she undressed and took a shower. She felt the warm liquid touch her bare skin with promises to wash away the day and let it disappear down the drain. She breathed in the thick fumes and let it cleanse her body. She couldn't explain it, but it hit her with a force. A simple song came to her mind. The song that made her finally decide what she felt about MacTavish.

'_You look so beautiful today  
>When you're sitting there it's hard for me to look away<br>So I try to find the words that I could say  
>I know distance doesn't matter but you feel so far away<br>And I can't lie  
>Every time I leave my heart turns gray<br>And I wanna come back home to see your face tonight  
>Cause I just can't take it<em>

Another day without you with me  
>Is like a blade that cuts right through me<br>But I can wait  
>I can wait forever<br>When you call my heart stops beating  
>When you're gone it won't stop bleeding<br>But I can wait  
>I can wait forever.'<p>

She turned off the tap and stepped out into her towel. She knew what she had to do know. There was no escaping her feelings. She remembered every moment with MacTavish like her first day to the wonderful, emotional kiss they shared just hours ago. She always knew she felt something for him, but they were unsure until know. She didn't know if it was love, but she knew it was strong. She didn't want him to fall for anyone except her. When they went to bars, some women would walk up to him and flirt with him. She remembered when one young blonde girl walked up to him at a bar one of the nights she went with them.

_Melody sat there at the bar as Becca and Dunn explained about Ramirez's failed attempt at flirting with a spunky brunette in the corner. They were both drunk and Melody just rolled her eyes with a smile. She was too focused on the woman who walked up to MacTavish. She only sat two chairs away from him._

"_Hi." She said with a seductive smile and leaned on the bar beside him._

_Melody wanted to smack that stupid smile off her face. MacTavish turned to her and grinned. Now all she wanted to do was smack him for smiling. She had no idea why. They were talking simple talk, weather, news, and he asked her if she wanted a drink._

_Melody looked up at the bartender. "Milk; give her milk." She whispered angrily._

_She ordered some fancy drink and she rolled her eyes at the girl. She probably just turned twenty-one. _

_Melody knew she could get up and leave but she didn't want to. After another ten minutes of annoyingly flirty conversation, she asked him if he wanted to go out. Melody angrily gripped her glass, almost making her knuckles white. She was afraid she was going to break the glass. He said he would think about it and she gave him her number. Melody had enough. Her glass nearly fell from the bar as she jumped off her chair and stormed out the door. She didn't want to hear anymore that made her heart tug uncomfortably at the thought of MacTavish ever meeting another woman. She walked all the way to Becca's car and stood there. She really wasn't planning on getting in, but just waiting until she finally decided to leave. Besides, she was going to be drunk off her ass, she need a designated driver. Melody felt awkward just standing there so she finally got her Mp3 player from the car and listened to another Eminem song. The same one she listened to when she was either training or working out. She saw MacTavish appear from the shadows and walk up towards her._

"_Have a pleasant night?" She asked angrily crossing her arms._

"_Somewhat, what's wrong with you?" He asked standing in front of her._

"_Nothing. Why would something be wrong?" She asked faking a calm attitude._

"_You stormed out of the bar." He said arching an eyebrow._

"_So. I just didn't want to be there, ok?" She said defensively. _

"_You wanted out right after I said I'd think about going out with the girl, Natasha."_

_Melody snorted. "That is so not why I left." She lied._

"_Sure. Why are you so against me even considering going out with her?" He asked amused._

"_I am not against you dating women. You have every right to. All I'm saying is; have fun at the mall." She said annoyed._

_He rolled his eyes at her and just walked away from her, back to the bar. She looked away from him angrily; she secretly wished he would turn around and just stay outside here. But there's no way she could say that. She just watched his silhouette disappear into the shadows and listened to his distant footsteps._

Melody, fully dressed, lay on the couch staring at the window. She knew what she had to do. She needed to see MacTavish; tell him that she really did care for him. More than just simple friends. She looked up as Becca came inside holding Charlie who fell asleep on her shoulder; hours after Melody arrived at the apartment.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Becca asked sitting down in front of the couch.

"Yeah. I gotta go somewhere, Becca. I'll be back." She said jumping off the couch and heading for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Becca asked.

"Can't say, but I'll be back in a sec, ok?" She said reaching for the handle.

Becca nodded and Melody stepped out of the room. She walked past people asking her if she was alright. She was on her own little mission. She had to find MacTavish. She went through every workout station there and asked Dunn or anyone of they knew where he was. She finally spotted him in the field. Her heart skipped a beat happily at the sight of him. She smiled. She immediately ran over to him. She sprinted across the halls of the men's washroom, eyes straight forward as men jumped back seeing Melody sprint through them. (There was a course out in the field and on both sides were the men and women washrooms. The men's were just the closet to him. She guessed he either just showered or finished the course. She didn't care which but she just ran out to the field.

"MacTavish!" She called.

He turned to see a smiling Melody. "Melody? What are you doing here?" He asked.

She just ran over to him. He was shocked to see her recover so quickly and now back to normal. Well, sort of normal. She ran up to him and jumped on him. He took her in his arms and she immediately pressed her lips down on his. This time it wasn't one dumbstruck. They both stood there in each other's arms. MacTavish balled a fist in her hair, forcing her to continue kissing him. She happily wrapped her arms around his neck and felt everything change inside her. It was like she could actually feel her hardened heart melt away. Creating a whole brand new heart, just for him. She was ready for that. Throw away the past as far as she could and bring in new memories with MacTavish. That's all she's wanted. A new start. Now's the perfect time to start. They broke apart for a moment, allowing each other to breathe. She pressed her forehead against his and started to laugh. He smiled at the sound and kissed her once more.

"Do I even need to apologize now?" He asked brushing her hair back and leaving his hand on her cheek.

She took a deep breath through the nose and smiled. "Nah." She said and stood on her toes and slowly pressed her lips against his again.

**So, watcha think about that lil predicament there:) I don't think I have a chapter question at the moment so... Oh yeah, mission chapters coming soon. Oh, now I have a question. How do you think the coming missions are going to affect MacTavish and Melody's blossoming relationship? Good, bad? Where do you think Melody would go through all the coming chaos? **

**(Song: I Can Wait Forever by Simple Plan)**


	11. Chapter 11

**I know you don't probably care, but thought it'd be interesting if you knew who I imagined to face some of my OC's. You're probably rolling your eyes now and just reading, but just for fun, Melody, I always imagined Kristen Stewart (When she played Bella) I don't really like the movie and books and stuff but I'm just talking about her face. Before you dislike and punch the screen. Enjoy the latest chapter. Story starts...NoW!**

**One Week Later:**

"Roger that. Melody, ten minutes." MacTavish said through his earpiece.

They were finally at New York. It all seemed different now. Melody secretly feared this all now. Her new relationship with MacTavish (if they can handle it all) was going to be stressed to the maximum level now. How was she going to able to concentrate on combat while she fretted about MacTavish? Melody stood out by the rear of Nikolai's chopper looking down at her required landing zone. The wind whipped her hair to and fro. It seemed she could just reach out and touch one out of hundreds of buildings in the city. But this wasn't their destination. First they had to land outside in the country, miles outside of the whole buzz of the city. The same place where all the chaos was going to start. About two or three days earlier, her family was moved to a safe house somewhere where they didn't even have as much as a zip code. Would be very hard to find them. Her men looked out with her. Becca swatted at Dunn's hand as he messed with her as she tried to get the parachute on. She rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Roger that, Soap. And hey, be careful Scotland." She replied after a minute.

There was no response, but she knew that he had smiled.

"Alright boys. Time to be airborne." She said with a smile.

"Melody don't-"Becca started to say, but was interrupted as Melody quickly stepped back a couple feet, and with a running start, jumped from the chopper with a front flip. "Showoff." She finished barely audible.

Melody laughed and looked up quickly as they all jumped out after her. She pulled the chord and floated towards the swaying knee high grass. Melody threw the backpack off her shoulders and looked around. Red and orange colored mountains surrounded them and the corn field swayed in the light breeze. The fluffy round clouds that floated like glaciers on water above them showed tints of gray; threatening rain. By the looks of the golden grass it looks like they need a lot of it. Especially considering the colorful garden some feet away. She shook her head; this wasn't the time to be surveying the countryside. She turned around and everyone had landed all meters from each other. Becca came up beside her and they started heading out. Melody pressed a finger against her earpiece.

"Toto, we have landed in Kansas." She said with a grin, looking around the large land.

MacTavish, arriving at the checkpoint, rolled his eyes. "Loud and Clear, Mouse. What's your estimated arrival time?" He asked.

"Ten, fifteen minutes tops. As long as we don't pass that weird ass tree again." Melody said looking over at a tree that's branches bent in every which way.

"'Right. Meet you there, over." He said.

Melody led her team across two different multicolored fields, barns, and schools. Each taking cover as packed vans drove by. Russians seemed to be everywhere. Her ACR never left her side. It seemed if she drove out all her other thoughts and memories, she could concentrate on all her combat techniques. At least something good came out of her father's academy. Melody head multiple times heard muttered voices come from the mysterious fields beside her. As if someone were following them through the high corn fields. She tried to shake off the feeling of eyes prying on the back of her head and sped up. She was thrilled to finally see MacTavish, Price, Foley and the rest of the squad at the checkpoint. MacTavish stood there, arms crossed. While a small part of him worried where Melody was after twenty or so minutes, he was annoyed at the girl and her bad sense of time. He heard movement ten meters away and immediately swung his gun towards the high corn fields. He relaxed as he saw Melody's small form come squeezing through the stalks. She stopped seeing a gun pointed at her, then smiled seeing the owner.

"Jesus, five minutes late and you're trying to kill me." She joked walking up to him.

"Learn your damn time." He said gripping her hand in his.

She smiled. "You've gone soft, soldier." She said squeezing his hand once then turning to Price. "Where we headed?" She asked.

"You and your squad are going to take the west side of Hudson River. Some of the Marines have already stopped a Russian submarine. That city is looking like hell. There's someone I want you to look for. Her name is Anastasia. Her father is one of Makarov's most trusted men. A little hostage situation should get him talking. Head out. And take this." He said handing her his old M1911. Melody pulled her hand from MacTavish's and looked at the old gun.

"But Price, this is your gun. I can't take it." She said trying to hand it back.

"No, you're taking it. It's brought me some good luck, so to speak. Time for another victim." He said.

She nodded. She took a deep breath and replaced it in her gun holster at her hip with the M9.

"Let's get moving." She said loud enough for her team to hear. They all started to follow her as she turned to walk off through the corn field. MacTavish quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist. She was pulled back as MacTavish pulled her to his chest and put his lips to her ear, just for her to hear.

"Be safe, please." He asked with his eyes closed.

She grinned and wrapped an arm around his neck and stood on her toes. "No promises." She said and kissed his jaw. Better to hurt him with the truth then cover false hopes with a lie.

She managed to let go of his hand and disappeared through the stalks.

**Several Hours Later:**

"Target is close. Less than forty meters. I'm going after her, over."

"Advisable. Be careful, who knows who could be watching her move." Price said, seeing Melody hiding behind a turned over car. Smoke filled the air of the already smoggy city. Screams and commands of Marines flooded around her and the gunfire from both Russians and the Marines hit some places of the car and other objects around her. She knew it was unsafe, but she knew it was more important that the target was captured than her injured. MacTavish may refuse, but at that exact point, she didn't care. As long as it wasn't him risking his life idiotically like she was. She peeked over and looked up in the large office building. She could see her honey blond hair as it curtained her face. She didn't really look Russian. Strange. Melody hoped up from the back of the car and bounced along a path of broken cars and burnt walls of buildings. Just some smaller ones near the roads. She was alone again. She separated her squad and she immediately set out for the daughter. Not that she didn't think her team was capable of handling this; it's just the last time she let her squad come with her. Well, you know what happened. As she let her thoughts go astray, she met a hard vested chest of one of the Marines.

'Oh, hell.' She thought.

He quickly turned over and looked down at the petite woman who crashed into him.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked forcing her up from the ground.

She had no idea what to say. Then it blurted out. "No able' Española. " She ran off out of his view.

She ran off to the other side of the building. She saw two guards at the door.

'Must be getting' pretty damn close if they're guarded _outside_.' She thought. She looked over and saw dead Russian lying feet away. She knew it was ridiculous, but she had an idea.

_**MacTavish**_**:**

He watched her disappear into the corn stalks. Her last words hung in his ear.

'_No promises.'_

'That crazy bugger better be careful.' He thought as he started walking off with Price. I didn't like the idea of separating; check that, separating from Melody. I didn't like to think that she was out there anywhere without any cover. Knowing her, she'd spilt up and search for the daughter on her own. Crazy kid was always doing things on her own. He especially didn't like it because if she was on her own; she has one good ACR. She's outnumbered by more than thousands of both Marines who would take her hostage if they found out she was working with us and the Russians who would take her kill her just because she was American. He shivered. Best to avoid that thought. Becca sat across him, taking a seat beside Dunn. She looked at his face. She's been around Melody and Price so long that she'd know when someone was having some deep thoughts blind.

"She's going to be fine, alright?" She leaned over and said.

He felt the corner of his mouth lift slightly. He nodded once, but both MacTavish and Dunn could tell she didn't buy it.

_**Melody:**_

"Urgh, damn!" She said under her breath.

She did her best to fit into the larger man's uniform. She knew it was ridiculous, but if she had just killed the guards, someone would discover them and the whole place would be on alert. She'd never be able to catch a glimpse of the daughter if they found out she was here. She then chuckled at her thoughts.

'Ooh, if MacTavish knew I was doing this…' She thought with a smile. 'Damn, oh there. Now, I hope one good thing from Dad works. My Russian.' She thought switching her gun (though it took her a lot of will power to give up one of her many favorites) and attempted to walk in her large combat boots.

She walked out of the side of the building with a racing heart. She saw them look over at her, eyebrows arching under their masks. She straightened her shoulders and stuck her chest out and prayed she didn't look like some scrawny man. She hoped she looked twenty pounds bigger in the vest and uniform. (Not what you hear from a woman's thoughts.) She walked across the ground; she could feel the back of the boots rub against her heel. She tripped on her boots and caught herself on the side of the building.

"Черт неравномерным американских тротуары. (Damn uneven American sidewalks!) She murmured.

One scoffed. She walked up to them and in her best fake deep voice she asked, "Я пришел узнать, дочь президента. Он ждет меня. » (I have come to see the president's daughter. He is expecting me.)

They exchanged a look then looked back down at her.

"Кто ты, точно? Мы еще не были проинформированы о любых посетителей." ( Who are you exactly? We haven't been advised of any visitors.")

"Если я сказал вам, я бы убить вас. Теперь если вы хотите объяснить ему почему я поздно то я предлагаю вам перейти от моего пути." (If I told you I'd have to kill you. Now, unless you want to explain to him why I am late then I suggest you move from my way.") She said with a smug look on her face, even though all they could really see is the bridge of her nose and her brown eyes.

They exchanged another look and stepped over, allowing access.

She walked inside and looked around first. A large chandelier hung from the wall, threatening to fall. The usually clean and waxed floors were covered in dirt and bullet shells. Stations were set up along every corner of the used-to-be lobby. She caught her reflection in a broken mirror as she heard a crunch under her foot. She saw her mascara eyes. Then watched as her eyes widened. She dashed over to the restrooms, throwing the lady's door open. She wasn't in there for five seconds when she ran back out for the men's. She stopped as she saw a Russian eye her strangely.

She scoffed. "Чертовски американский язык. (Damn American language.)" She said going for the men's.

She quickly turned on the faucet, surprised some water was still working in the building. She quickly rubbed her eyes with a paper towel. She managed to scrap off some of the make-up when she heard a voice scream into her ear.

"Melody! Where the hell are you? We need to get the hell outta here. Do you have the daughter?" Came MacTavish's voice.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" He yelled over the gunfire.

"Why aren't you!" She screamed frustrated from his interruption. She gasped and clamped her mouth shut.

"Melody, what's going on?" He asked.

"Nothing okay! Just shut up and give me an hour!" She yelled. "Urgh dammit." She muttered as she heard someone come in.

"Melody, what the hell are you talking about? Are you alright?" He asked but was cut off as Melody ripped the earpiece out of her ear. She looked at the men that came in. She felt like yelling when she saw the Russian president and a tall muscular older man walk in with guns pointed directly at her.

"Welcome, Melody." The President added with venom.

"Shit!" She said taking the mask off and throwing it on the ground. They quickly reached over and grabbed her by the arm and forced her outside.

_**MacTavish:**_

Gunfire flew around them and he watched as Becca drug an injured Dunn out of harm's way behind a car. She was intent on dragging him over to safety. She quickly pulled out her sidearm and fired at the closest targets then directed her attention back to Dunn. He was shot in the shoulder pushing her out of the way as someone aimed down the sights at her. He was shot around the collarbone. Becca prayed it didn't hurt the bone in any way.

'Dammit Melody! She's supposed to be here by now!' MacTavish thought coming up behind Price.

"Price! Have you heard from Melody, yet? She was supposed to be here nearly forty minutes ago!" He yelled taking cover under a blockade of tables.

"No. But knowing her she's off doing some daft stunt that will get her killed." He said.

Then he began to worry even more. "Cover me." He said as he moved forward and trying to reach Melody.

"Melody, do you copy? Melody where the hell are you! We need to get the hell outta here. Do you have the daughter?" He screamed into the earpiece firing at targets appearing on the east side.

He relaxed some as he heard her response. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She whispered.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why are you whispering?" He asked taking down someone with his pistol.

"Why aren't you!" She screamed at him in frustration.

He heard her gasp and something clamp against her mouth. "Melody what's going on?" he said as he dodged a bullet.

"Nothing okay! Just shut up and give me an hour! Urgh dammit!" She muttered angrily.

His heart began to race. "Melody, what the hell are you talking about? Are you alright?" He immediately asked. But he heard no response. He tried to contact her again but she was answering.

"Dammit! Command, this is Bravo Team. I need you to track Melody's signal now!" He yelled.

"Roger that, Bravo Team. Scanning for signal stand by." Command said.

MacTavish impatiently waited as they scanned for her. He angrily stabbed the nearest person and shot him twice.

"Bravo Team, this is Command we have Captain Johnston's signal. She is on the fourth floor of The Peninsula New York. 700Fifth Avenue at 55th Street. "Command finally said after a while.

"Roger that Command, Bravo Team moving up." MacTavish said immediately turning to Price. "I'm going after Melody. She's somewhere in The Peninsula New York Hotel. 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street." He yelled.

He nodded and sent four others from the squad with him.

MacTavish nearly sprinted faster along the street; focused on getting to that hotel.

_**Melody:**_

"Take her up to my room. Give me her earpiece. I think the Americans are willing to wager for her life. If they do not get to her ten minutes; kill her." He ordered the tall older man.

Melody hung her head. "Dammit." She muttered. 'MacTavish is going to kill me.' She thought.

She watched him drag a chair over and sit some feet in front of her. He stared at her, never letting his sight stray from her. She was annoyed with it.

"What the hell are you looking at?" She demanded. She really didn't expect him to answer, but was surprised when he did.

"How did someone like you come to be with that pesky Task Force?" He said in his thick Russian voice.

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe 'cause I know how to kick your Russian ass if you don't quit eyeballing me." She said.

He just chuckled at her anger.

She sat back and threw her head back over the chair. The ceiling looked much more appealing to her than staring at the scared Russian's face. She heard a noise come from her left, a scuffle of feet. She arched an eyebrow and noticed a silhouette at the other door. She saw the figure step out of her safety zone and into the leaked sunlight. Melody looked at the face of a terrified eight year old Russian girl. Melody's mouth gaped open to a small 'O'. After a couple minutes, the older man walked out; bored of the silence. Melody took that moment to try and talk to the girl. She had the same honey blond hair she saw from outside. She must be his daughter.

"Здравствуйте меня зовут капитан Мелодия Джонстон. Я работаю с некоторых людей под названием 141 Целевой группы. Как тебя зовут? (Hello, my name is Captain Melody Johnston. I work with a group of people called the Task Force 141. What's your name?)" She asked calmly.

The girl didn't say anything at first then looked behind her.

"У вас есть друг, с вами? (Do you have a friend with you?" She asked calmly.

The girl looked back at her. A small dog sat on its haunches by her feet, eyeing Melody. It was quiet until the girl finally spoke. Just a small whisper.

"Мама больного и я боюсь, она имеет собираешься умирать. Папа говорит, что это был только один, он мог бы защитить меня. Я хочу вернуться домой. (Mommy's sick and I'm scared she's gonna die. Daddy said this was the only way he could protect me. I wanna go home.)" The girl said in a sad tone.

"Не волнуйтесь, я могу взять вас домой. Вы просто должны сделать мне одолжение. Я надобность к вам приехать сюда и развязать меня. Независимо от того, что ваш папа сказал я не повредит вам. (Don't worry, I can take you home. You just have to do me a favor. I need you to come over here and untie me. No matter what your Daddy said, I will not hurt you.)" She said.

The girl nodded her head and stepped out towards her, but just as she did they both snapped their heads towards the door as three men came bursting through the door. She recognized the one older man and the President. The girl ran over to her father and started begging in rapid Russian. She must've known what was fixing to happen to her would-be savior.

"Нет, пожалуйста, папа! Пожалуйста, сделайте Юрий и волк уходить! Пожалуйста она может посылать меня домой! Я мог бы пойти домой к маме, и я буду безопасно. Просто пожалуйста! Пожалуйста, Юрий, волк не убить, мелодии"! (No Daddy please! Please make Yuri and Volk go away! Please, she can send me home! I could go home to Mommy and I'll be safe! Just please! Please Yuri, Volk don't kill, Melody!" She begged and cried.

"Volk, restrain Anastasia. And don't let her watch. We don't want her turning out like Melody here. Crazed and psychotic." He said in English. An older heave man came over and took the screaming girl and placed a large hand over her eyes.

Melody tried to break free of the man, Yuri's, grip, but he was much stronger than she was. Everything began to slow down for both Melody and the girl, Anastasia as Yuri slammed her back against his chest and wrapped an arm around her chest and placed the barrel of Desert Eagle under her jaw and the only sound in the room was the life ending, 'Boom!'

**So, watcha think? Chapter Question: What do you think happened to Melody and the girl? Who are the new 'bad guys'? Will MacTavish make it to Melody in time or will she be killed by Yuri. All to be answered in Chapter 12! lol**


	12. Chapter 12

Melody closed her eyes shut. The deafening boom of the desert eagle and she knew she was dead. But, what she didn't feel was the crack as her jaw shattered from the speeding bullet and the immense pain take control of her until she was dead. She fell to the floor next to Anastasia. Yuri spun around as the gun was shot from his own hand. She couldn't see over Yuri's large shadow, but her shoulders relaxed and every part of her craved to see the face of the voice that came from the owner of the M9 pistol.

"Boom." MacTavish said quietly. Melody jumped to her feet as the President and Volk ran off like cowards. Melody felt like punching that President in the face. He just abandoned his own eight year old daughter so he could save his own neck. They didn't kill Yuri since they knew they could somehow get some answers out of him and they wouldn't have to even touch the girl. Ramirez tackled the Russian and slammed his face against the table. He placed his pistol barrel on the man's forehead. Dunn, with a substantial cast around his left shoulder, placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. He shook his head with a stern look.

"Not now, man." He said glancing over at Anastasia.

Melody saw his face. MacTavish looked over at her with an almost angered look. He turned and stormed off, muttering something she couldn't understand.

'Dammit, way to go, Melody. You just ruined everything. Wise up!' She angrily scolded herself as she ran after MacTavish.

"MacTavish, wait! C'mon, will you please talk to me?" She said running up beside him.

Though he was angry with her, he stopped and turned to her. "Do you realize how much danger you put yourself in? Everyone in. Who knows what could've happened Melody. What if I had been just seconds late? You'd be lying there, face first, in a puddle of your own-"He hesitated with a shiver. He didn't want to think of that.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to get everyone in danger. And so what if Yuri had killed me? You apparently don't seem to care too much about this. All you seem to care about is your fuckin' mission. That's all you ever care about. What if I wanted to do this, huh? What if I had a desire to actually succeed at my mission? 'Cause all I seem to do is just fuck things up." She angrily yelled back at him. All her emotions came up to the service and just boiled out in anger. She sat down on one of the small couches in the hallway. The main emotions, pain, loss, and abandonment, all came out as anger. She was terrified. Terrified of losing MacTavish because of her actions. She didn't want to live a single day without him. She knew she'd do anything for him, for any of her team mates. They were her friends. She was willing to take a bullet if that's what it took to get the message clear to everyone, even to the world. She knew if that had been MacTavish in there, she would've killed Yuri. Used all her tricks and skills to slowly kill the bastard for even touching him. She couldn't lose him so easily. She still wore the Russian guard uniform. She stared down at her black boots as MacTavish let out a breath.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just that you can't do that to me." He said taking her in his arms.

She pressed her ear against his chest so she could listen to his relaxing pumping heart. At that moment as she listened to his heartbeat, she vowed she would do absolutely anything as long as it continued to pump relaxing, soothing beats. Even if it meant her own had to stop.

MacTavish wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began to walk away then they turned as Anastasia yelled and ran to Melody in Russian.

"Эй! Подождите! (Hey! Wait up!)" She called, honey hair floating behind her back and brown eyes wide with excitement.

Melody grinned and slid out of MacTavish's arm. She pulled her hair back as she continued a conversation with the girl. MacTavish stood there confused. The girl laughed as Melody tapped her nose and took her hand. As the three walked, MacTavish looked down at the girl then at Melody.

"When were you going to tell me you could speak Russian?" He asked with a grin.

"When ask me." She said with a smug grin and peaked up at him from the corner of her eye.

"Well, now I'm asking. What all languages do you know?" He asked.

"Cela ne répond pas à votre question? Questo rispondere la tua domanda? Esto da respuesta a su pregunta? Isso responde a sua pergunta? (Does this answer your question?) She answered in French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

"You're pretty much amazing Melody." He said taking her hand.

She grinned half-heartedly. "No, I'm not perfect no one is. I just studied hard, very hard." She said remembering why she had learned all those languages. Not just because her father said it would be better if she knew so much and would be good if she went into foreign countries, but because she remembered hearing how much he admired a particular man who knew just as many languages. She was ten then so she thought if she knew all those languages, her father would go on and on about how wonderful she was. Finally have that love and respect she oh so craved for. Of course, she never found it. Melody shook her head slightly. While standing there with MacTavish she remembered when she first saw him. He remembered different, but she was one who actually helped him with his stab wound in India. He didn't remember, apparently. She remembered every second now. Who knew that same person on the table would come to be the most important thing in her life.

_Melody stood on the hard packed dirt floor of the underground safe house. She was sent here weeks ago. After her accident was all patched up. She looked over at the large rounded man she called Doc. He was short, gray balding hair, and wore a stained white apron over his blue button-up shirt and long black trousers. He was a nice old man. She watched as he cleaned his tools and instruments. He looked over at her, needle in hand._

"_Why do you look so wary, Abhita?" He asked. (Abhita was his given nickname for her; meaning fearless, brave, courageous, etc. _

_She grinned. "I dunno, Doc. Something just doesn't feel right." She said looking up at the dirt and mud ceiling._

"_There doesn't seem to be much to worry about at the moment. But who knows, something extraordinary may happen. I happen to trust the 'gut feeling' of yours. Don't let me down, Abhita." He said with a grin, needle pointed towards her stomach._

_She smiled at him. The old man seemed to trust every one of his patients. Hopefully, her gut feeling about that betraying him one day was faulty. _

"_Hey, Doc, who's this Nikolai over here?" She asked looking at his stack of files, one picture placed on top. Numerous photos were taken of his patients, some just local children or sick parents. She even saw her picture next to his favorite patients' board. When she was injured after Shepherd's betrayal by the Shadow Company, her unconscious body was moved on to a specialist in India, Doc. Ever since she's been staying here, helping him with his patients. Besides, she had no idea how to get out of here. They both snapped their heads over hearing the rushed and panicked footsteps and two men yelling in the hallway. They burst into the room, pushing an injured bloody man inside. Melody jumped up from her chair in shock. One of the men grabbed Doc and pushed him towards the injured man._

"_What the hell is going on?" Melody demanded walking towards the man angrily. Nobody pushes her friends around._

_He turned to her, first an angered expression then confused. Melody shared the same look._

"_Price? What are you doing here?" Melody asked looking at him._

_She looked over at the man and walked towards Doc, knowing he needed help._

_He looked over at her, he pulled over the defibulators; charging them. Seeing the wound on the large man's chest, lazily wrapped in make-shift bondage, she immediately reached over and grabbed the needle he was just messing with and bit the top of it with her teeth and started grabbing the morphine. With that wound, surgery was going to definitely hurt like hell. _

"_We're losing him. Charging. 3, 2, 1!" Doc said pressing the panels on the man's chest._

_Melody watched as the action caused the man to jerk up at the sudden force. She put the needle down for now and ran over to him._

"_Abhita, hand me the syringe!" He said looking over his shoulder to Melody._

_She wondered why he needed it so soon put quickly grabbed it, accidently stabbing her palm and causing an instant bloody mess on her hand._

"_Ugh, What the hell, Melody!" She yelled at herself. She just wrapped it up in the nearest cloth and went to Doc and handed him the syringe._

_He gave her a look then went to cut carefully the shirt around the wound. Melody precariously watched him; this man didn't have any time for precaution. She quickly reached over and took a side of the fabric with her hand and ripped the shirt harshly, doing her best not to touch his chest or the knife that continued to stick up right in his chest. While carefully ripping the shirt, she looked up at his face as he winced and looked at her face weakly. She stole a stare then looked back at his chest._

"_Bet you looked prettier yesterday." She mumbled looking into his icy blue eyes._

_He fainted from the pain and she knew it was time for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or pain medication. She reached over and with her good hand took the needle and placed it in his chest near the vein._

"_You should feel good for a little while." She mumbled then stepped aside as Doc came in with his gloved hands and gently removed the knife. She took it with one hand, examining the blade._

'_Man, he got stabbed with a damn good knife. Wait, this was Shepherd's…' She thought looking at the design on the handle. She was stabbed in the back with the same knife when he was fixing to head out to some safe house of Makarov's to receive a DSM from the house. _

"_Ever heard the old saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'?" He had asked her as her mouth gaped open under his pressed warm hand against her mouth._

"_Bastard." She said aloud under her breath._

_Price looked over at her as she examined the knife, then back at Soap._

_Melody felt her stomach churn as she watched him begin surgery on his chest, blood covering his gloved hands. Melody wasn't really comfortable or familiar with the sight of blood. She usually said she couldn't stand the salty odor and she hated to see it pour from her. She shivered and clutched her stomach; stepping over and sitting at her previous spot._

Melody soon left after that, escaping the sight of the blood-covered man. She would've helped them get out of the place when they were overrun, but she was too late when she made it there from the outside halls.

That night at a small secret location just for them, she disappeared with MacTavish as he led her towards where they were keeping their previous enemy, Yuri. He held her hand in a tight grip as if something was going to happen to her if he didn't. After her stunt that day he felt like he could never let her leave his sight. Melody stepped over to one of the tables holding his file.

"Turns out we're not the only ones with a hatred for Makarov. What's he done to you that you have to kill your own man?" She asked pulling up a chair beside him.

MacTavish stood a step behind her; one hand on the back of the chair.

Yuri glanced up at MacTavish then back at Melody. "Let's just say he betrayed years ago. After that I've been attempting to get my revenge on the sorry bastard. The deal with the President was just a small part of that process. I have to say, I didn't know who I was killing. I'm glad I didn't." He said staring at her.

She was a little uncomfortable with him staring at her for so long, but just shook it off.

"What's your reason?" Yuri asked looking at her with a mocking grin.

"Let's just say I have a lot of personal reasons." She said. "By the looks of it, you seemed to be an ex-Spetsnaz, so you should be well skilled in combat. And it so seems we need another place to fill in our squad. Whatdya say?" She asked.

"Melody?" MacTavish said taking her arm and across the room.

"Yes? Gotta problem with my leadership ideas?" She asked crossing her arms at him.

"No, I mean, yes. Why are asking him? He tried to kill you." He whispered.

"So, I know a good man when I see one. He may have a bad background and I'm not too sure if we can trust him, but we can use him. This could be an advantage for us, John." She whispered back. He knew she wasn't going to change her mind, considering she used his real name in a solemn voice. She then began to slowly smile one of her breath taking smiles. "Captain John MacTavish are you threatened?" She whispered with a grin.

He seemed speechless at first. "No, I'm just talking about yours and everyone else's safety here."

She laughed; Yuri peeked over his chair to arch an eyebrow at the whispering two. "Aw, how cute! But, don't worry, I only see you." She said standing on her toes and kissing his burning cheek with a grin. He rolled his eyes at her. She turned and looked over her shoulder once more. "For now." She teased with a playful smile.

"Yes or no? Once in a lifetime chance here." She said looking back at Yuri with a straight face.

After a couple of minutes, he nodded twice.

"Good." She said reaching over and grabbing his wrists at the back of the chair. MacTavish tensed and glanced between Yuri and Melody. She cut the rope with her knife and placed it back in its original place at her hip. She dusted off her hands and looked at Yuri. MacTavish was expecting him to start trying to go after Melody; he let his hand hover over the sidearm in the holster at his hip, but let it fall when he made no such move. He still didn't trust him, though.

As Melody turned to leave MacTavish wrapped an arm around her waist, looking back at Yuri, almost as if he was challenging him to even think about touching her. She jumped at his touch, shocked because he never held her like that, yet.

'There's a first time for everything…' She thought moving closer to him.

"Knew you felt threatened." She said with a smile turning to stand in front of him, blocking his path.

He stepped back giving her a look. "What?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "I'm saying this again. Don't worry, you're the only guy I see, okay? Get it through that thick skull of yours." She teased wrapping her arms around his neck and tapped a finger against his head. He smiled and leaned down to steal a kiss as she continued her little speech. She rolled her eyes under her lashes and held him close as their lips parted in unison. She loved these moments. Everything seemed peaceful and at ease; just with MacTavish and the warm feeling of his body and lips against hers. She don't know what would happen if those moments were taken away from her. She'd probably fight to get them back. He locked his arms around her waist, tickling her back and sending goose bumps from his skin against hers. The shirt was a thin blue button-up blouse that could easily feel any contact. It was her favorite because it was easy to take off and on. Dunn overheard her saying that to Becca when she noticed her wearing it that day (knowing it was her least favorite and curious of why she wore it). He heard her use that statement, 'easier to take off and on'.

He laughed. "Good news for MacTavish." He said looking at Melody as she smiled and her cheeks turned red.

MacTavish stood there leaning against the doorway and shook his head with a grin; even though he felt embarrassed. He just reached over and smacked the back of his head. Becca laughed as Dunn elbowed him in the chest and continued their little wrestle.

Melody laughed and stood up. "Oh, get a room you two." She said.

MacTavish laughed watching her leave, messing with her dog tags. They all found it amusing except Dunn because he had used that same statement on them catching them, as he described, 'sucking each other's throats out'.

As MacTavish held her, he felt a difference in this. Like it was going to be the last kiss he'll ever be able to share with her. He kept her in a tight grip and pushed her against the cement wall in the private shadowing corner, leading towards their base. He lips began viciously pressed against hers. If it was his last, he wanted to remember every taste on her 'bubblegum lips'. At first shocked, she then accepted it; knowing nothing much was going to come out of it. Maybe carelessness; things like playing with the edge of clothing without even noticing it then breaking apart in embarrassment like they sometimes did. Their hearts raced into one single rapid beat. She could feel his hands caress her thigh, pressing her already close body to his. He could feel her heartbeat as her breasts pressed against his chest, creating a swift beat like a drum on his chest. He was unsure about what would happen, but he knew he had to show her how he really felt before it could be too late. Words were used to often in this category, why talk about it when you could simply show the person. He liked this way much better since he failed in trying to tell her something. Only because her brown eyes were like realizing all you have left to take out an enemy helo was a simple pistol. Useless and smashing his confidence into small pieces. He placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling the bone underneath and playing with the thin fabric, tempting her to let him to continue. He used that hand to place on the back of her neck, sending chills down her spin but also craving more of that warm and light feeling in her stomach. She knew what they both wanted, but she wasn't sure if she herself was ready to delve into that. She never really experienced that, at least in a romantic motion. Would she even be good at it? She felt embarrassed thinking about it. She dove in for a ferocious kiss, causing his insides to stir at the touch. He leaned down and picked her up from her thighs, now even. Melody let her gut feeling fade away as he stroked her back bone, just above her bottom. She smiled under the pressure of his lips; Scottish bastard was teasing her. She pulled his lips with hers, and gently bit against his bottom lip, tongue tasting the top.

"Melody." He eventually let out between breaths.

She was for sure she crossed an invisible boundary line for him. "Yes." She said quietly, fingers caressing his neck.

He hesitated, not sure what to say. But he knew he had to something now. "I think I need to tell you something. I know you're probably going to think it's a cliché, but…" He started pulling lose strands of soft, brown, strawberry scented hair back.

"Yes." She pressed on with a smile.

"I think I… I love you, Melody." He said.

**So how was this chapter for you? Weak? Needs improvement? Stinks on ice? Or do you even think it's good? If you have any suggestions I will gladly take them:) And feel free to R&R if you want. I totally live for you guys lol. But lemme see if I can pull a Chapter question outta ma head... How about this... How do you think Melody will react? What do you think will happen to them now as they take along a new team mate and now that Melody has made her own personal vow to never let anything happen to him, how do you think that will affect her combat? Stay tuned!:)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Continuing from Chapter 12... Starting... NOW! **

"What?" Melody whispered looking up at him.

He looked down at her chest, avoiding her eyes. "I shouldn't have said that." He murmured.

"No, it's alright. You definitely should have said that." She said smiling and placing a hand on his cheek.

He grinned back at her and kissed her again. They were interrupted by a skateboard rolling at their feet. It smacked against Melody's ankle and she broke away to look down at piece of blue construction paper with a black colorful arrow pointing forward. Melody smiled and lightly pushed him away from her. She followed the direction and saw a small girl peeking over a large trash can. Melody waved and watched as the shy girl gave her a crooked smile.

"Daddy was talking about you. Some old guy wants to see you both." She said in a small voice as they walked up towards her. They could see a better description of her. She was small and young, maybe seven, thin, messy blonde hair and light brown eyes. She wore light green jeans and a pink ladybug T-shirt.

"Oh really? What's your name, soldier?" She asked with a smile, sitting on her knee in front of her.

She stuck out her chest and her hand flew to her forehead. "Andi Jones, sir!" She said in her best military voice.

Melody laughed once and placed the girl's hand back her side. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Andi. You know, you sound familiar. Your daddy must talk a lot about you." She said with a smile leading the girl from the shadows and into the light.

"Really! What does he say?" She bounced, tugging lightly on her sleeve.

"Well, where should I start? Well, he told me your name was Andi. That you were the sweetest and beautiful little girl in the whole universe." She started tickling her side.

Andi giggled.

MacTavish watched Melody instantly interact with this girl, who she hadn't even met before. She seemed to be good with children. He wondered where she could've picked up the trait. It's not like she learned it anywhere near the facility. Maybe it was just natural. The girl, Andi, went back with her mother and Melody and MacTavish met with the rest of the team in the briefing room. Melody stood in her usual place, at the computer and MacTavish just settled himself either in a corner or at the table. A current news report played on her screen along with files of their newest mission location.

"The Russian President never arrived in Hamburg for the peace summit. With his whereabouts currently unknown, no one is certain what this means for the peace treaty…" The News Reporter began as Melody tuned it out. She scrolled over and pulled up multiple maps of Africa. She reached over and took out her note pad and scribbled down something on each and labeling each part of her board where they all could see the layout for the mission. She had hundreds of pictures tacked onto the hard cork back. Mostly Makarov, his allies and informants, and everything else useful for their missions. Around one picture, boarded sticky notes with her neat and fast handwriting on it. Some were old as they creased over the months.

'Where is the Bastard! Where are you Makarov? Need to form an attack plan. He's (somewhere) on the grid. Hamburg, Dep: 18:45 hrs, PRR :36 Hrs. New lead in Germany, Price has new Intel. Interrogation with Suspect (A) yielded. NO RESULTS.

Even old allies and enemies hung on her board. One thing they all could give her; she sure was organized.

"Looks like Makarov just played his next hand." MacTavish began looking at Melody's board. She took her place back at the computer and turned it closer to them. She propped her feet against the edge of the table as they all examined the layout.

"If he puts himself back on the grid, he wants it to be known." Price stated.

Melody glanced between the men as they each interrupted each other.

"So where do we start hunting?" Soap asked, glancing at Melody he pushed herself back to the computer screen.

"Africa. Makarov's been using a local paramilitary group to move shipments into Sierra Leone. From there, they go towards Morocco, and in to Spain." She said pointing at the labeled spots on the map on the screen.

"He's moving north…" Soap said slowly.

"Right towards her majesty's doorstep. What's the cargo?" He said looking at the circled spot on the map, London.

"I don't know… but it's important to him." Melody said turning to them looking at each face.

He looked at Melody. "Then I want it." He said. Melody nodded once and began typing into the files. Many files popped up, some of her own that she went over and highlighted. Some just CIA files.

As Melody searched on the computer, Soap looked at her maps. "We can use the river to get in close. There's a factory in the camp where they store the shipments… but the militia's been waging genocide in the highlands for months. They'll be everywhere." He said looking at her files of the African militia and all the reported tracking on them and the locations they were sighted in.

"Makarov wouldn't let this travel lightly if it didn't serve a greater purpose… and chances are the bastard will be there personally to see things off." Price said scowling at the files of Makarov popping up on the side of the screen. Mostly that of the airport massacre in Russia."

Melody had another board beside it, almost like a timeline. With Makarov's picture in the middle of the Ultranationalist board as primary target, red thread stretched across other pictures; Shepherd's with KIA written in red underneath. Along with, of course, Makarov, Anatoly, Zakhaev and many others.

"If he's back on the grid, then so are we." Price said looking at the picture.

They all looked at Price. Melody exchanged a glance with Soap and hopped out of her chair.

**Africa:**

Melody sat there and attached her earpiece. Yuri was with Price and Soap entering through the river, while she was entering the other way around. They, well Soap, didn't like it knowing that he now had to trust the man that attempted to kill her. He didn't trust him, but for Melody's sake, he wasn't going to kill him. She could hear Nikolai inside the chopper talking with Price.

"Nikolai, we're just outside the village." He said.

"Copy. I'll pick you up in one hour." Nikolai said then turned to look at the other three. "Miss Emma," (Emma was what Nikolai called her for short); "we are nearing your location." He said in his deep Russian voice.

"Gotcha, Nikolai." She said.

Melody jumped and strapped her backpack on and vest. She placed M1911 in her gun holster at her hip. She had to admit, the old thing had brought some luck.

She finally got it into their signals and she could hear Price and Soap talking in theirs.

"Soap, try not to die this time." Price joked.

She scoffed and walked over to the ramp.

"You worry about yourself, old man." Soap said with a scoff.

She rolled her eyes at the two. "Will you quit flirting? We're landing at our extraction point. We should meet up again near the factory." Melody said repressing a smile.

"Copy. Good luck." Price said.

She just shrugged at the words and got out of the chopper. She immediately took cover near the river.

"We'll need to maintain a low profile as much as we can. The militia is everywhere." Melody advised Soap and the others through comm, looking at the She felt her combat boots stick in the mud and a million memories flooded her mind. She had missed this place. Missed the people she had grown to love and their culture. She had even picked up some African from her translator when she first got there some years ago. She remembered hearing the villagers singing around a fire or inside the church. She loved to just sit and listen to the melodic song as they sang in a language she hadn't known at the time. Remembering it, she realized they were actually singing Amazing Grace.

'Learn something new every day.' She thought.

The scenery was all the same, the tempting and lingering woods beside the river, the tall wavy green grass that tickled your bare feet if you ran through them. The shrills of young children's laughter as their bare feet came in contact with the cool, squishy mud. She missed hearing the children as they tried every morning, as she walked to the school building, come up and scare her since she was a soldier. She loved to amuse them as she walked through the grass with a smile on her face and she turn and gasp as if they had scared her. She missed them all and wished they weren't here with all this chaos. She didn't know what she would've done if she found any of them here. As they trudged along through the African land, they came close the village and just north was the church. She stopped and hid under a barrier of cement. She turned her head to tell them something when movement caught her attention. She noticed in the village militia had gathered civilians onto the dock and had them on their knees, hands behind their backs. Her mouth gaped open in shock when it dawned on her what they were doing.

"No." She whispered.

She quickly turned her head as one looked over her direction, big black eyes terrified and looking at his home one more time before… Boom! Melody felt like the bullet went for her to. This was the place she called home. The people had grown used to her and trusted her; they were even depressed and some children even cried when she had to leave. She didn't want to leave them, but she had no choice. And now they were being killed for nothing. Absolutely nothing.

'_I'm sorry.'_ She thought. Shaking off the vision in her head, she ran towards the village. She sprinted through the buildings, each bringing back some memory. She grinned at each and felt a crunch under her foot. She should've expected to hear it, but it sounded like she broke glass. She looked down and moved her purple-converse foot to the side and examined a picture frame. It was of a family she had seen once, some children she had taught to. She picked it up real quick and dusted it off. She threw the broken pieces on the ground and placed the picture itself on a small table next to the door. She smiled at the faces then turned knowing she had to continue with the mission. It was hard to really go on with this, but she knew she had to. She was surprised to find that she really couldn't block out her past like she usually could which was quite annoying and aggravating. After taking out multiple militias, before burning a civilian and murdering another, she finally made it to their precise location. It took a damn long time though. She could hear the gunfire from both militia and the voices of Price, Yuri, and Soap as they each called out to each other. She smiled and dashed out to meet them, taking down enemies on the way. She immediately crouched down next to Price.

"'Bout damn time, Mel. Stop for a souvenir on the way?" He joked.

"Old man, got some jokes." Melody said giving him a fake taken aback look. She then glanced over at Soap. Though she would've preferred to just go over and continue on at his side, she just smiled once at him then commanded her small team to move out. They crossed over through the vacant paths of the village to a watchtower near the factory.

"I can see the factory; it's just up the road." Soap said peeking over the wall of the tower.

"Right. Soap, Yuri and I will advance. Melody, you're on over watch. Get to a position and cover us." Price said looking at Mel.

Melody nodded and started climbing up the latter silently to the watchtower. She pulled out her knife and crept up to the resting African militia guard. She grabbed his body and thrusted her knife up and into his neck, making a clean deep cut and letting out a gush of rushing blood escape the arteries and fell onto her fingers. She pushed the body away, placing him on the ground. She had grown used to the sight and smell of fresh blood. Her stomach still turned some but not as bad as it did; used to make her feel nauseous and dizzy. She had a better control of her bodily reactions, like emotions, nausea, dizziness etc. She manned the sniper that rested against the wall and looked down the scope to see the figures of Soap and Price as they disappeared into building after building. Taking down soundless targets and marking them as clear. She took out any enemies she was acknowledged of, two from the east, four from the north. She even chuckled in amusement as one bullet took down the, perfectly-lined up, three patrol militia. She then watched them as Price kicked the door of the factory down and both disappeared yet again into the building. After a couple of seconds, Melody heard Price's gruff voice via comm.

"Clear." He said.

She heard Soap's grunting voice following directly after that. "Clear? This place is bloody empty." He said.

"Don't you just absolutely love these bitch slaps?" Melody said with a grin looking at the wall hiding the two men.

She heard a low chuckle from Soap.

"Nikolai, the factory is a dead end. No sign of Makarov." Price said after that.

"He must have moved to the militia's headquarters at the center of town." Came Nikolai's rough answer as it rang through her ears.

Melody pulled her face away from the sniper and stood there casually, leaning against a table near the chair waiting for Price's orders. She switched back to her AK and placed the gun in its original position. She quickly took out and reloaded her mag and slammed it back into the gun as she heard Price's reply.

"We're moving there now."

Melody began to go back down the latter, but stopped as she heard Soap's rushed voice come through her earpiece.

"Head's up we got company." He quickly said as they exited the small factory.

"We're compromised!" Price said loudly as militia from every corner seemed to appear and dash out towards the factory. Melody jumped back to the sniper in attempt it'd be the fastest way to take care of incoming militia. They quickly appeared and were running towards a corner in the road, but not before taking several shots from Melody's quick aim. She was able to shoot down six men and wound or injure nearly ten or eleven others. She hardly considered that an achievement. As she scoped into one that crawled near the wanted cover of a house, preparing to aim in at his head, Price yelled into her ear when he did not see her tagging along behind.

"Melody, run!" He yelled.

She groaned; completely missing her chance of getting the target and threw the sniper down and immediately took off down the latter and sprinted as fast as she could with them as they stretched out into the main highway. They were welcomed with even more gunfire. It seemed like, to Melody, wherever they went something happened. Well, she preferred it than nothing happening. Not very fun without explosions and someone dying. As long as they're the bad guys instead of good. They dodged numerous bullets, each appearing out of nowhere. Melody took the roofs and cleaned the ones on top that were in their way. They finally made it to an opening where they met a dozen or more men. A technical came flying through a corner and finally arriving in the square. As Melody flung her gun over to the side to hit the gunner, she was shocked to find her prey fall over dead on the gun before she could even look down her sights. She turned to see Yuri's smug grin at her astounded face.

"Nice shot!" She said jumping and running towards the vehicle. She was glad for her small height and thin frame; it was easier to sneak around. She manned the gun and immediately started shooting.

"Ha-ha! How ya like me now, BITCH!" She yelled with a laugh as all of the militia that came in sight were shredded by the .50 Cal. She enjoyed manning the gun, and everyone else could tell too. Before Price could call them out for her, she was taking down enemies from left and right. Price thought she must've been mad about something. Knowing her for that long, she intended to take out her emotions through violence and anger. Melody was too caught up in the joy of the gun that she was knocked off her feet; literally, when a mortar came feet in front of the truck she stood up in and sent her flying back and landing on the hard ground, nearly knocking the breath out of her and bruising up her arm and shoulder. MacTavish ran up to her, kneeling down beside her and grabbing her bruised arm. She winced under his grip and tried to scramble to her feet.

"C'mon, Melody get up! We gotta get the hell outta here." He yelled over the blasts of the mortars and she quickly grabbed her gun from the ground and ran along with the others. She was glad for all that track she had to do both at the academy and at school. She didn't get as out of breath as the others did, she even outran MacTavish; which was surprising since he is twice her size. Strange. They continued to run through the village homes and streets, dodging mortar fires from every direction. It reminded Melody of all her Marine days, the yelling and explosions. It was different here, with the Task Force. The men were encouraged to let their hair grow instead of clean shaves and short buzz cuts. They were all so serious too, well, except MacTavish. At least around her. Everywhere else he was his usual dead serious self, but she thought it was strange that when they were alone he joked around and sometimes teased her. Not that she objected against the action. She was growing used to laid back personality, she wished she could really let go like all her friends here could. But, she guessed, that after so many years of bitterness, could she even really laugh and smile and actually mean it? Soap's voice drove her back into reality as she hastily climbed the latter to the rooftops and jumped across to the other side, Yuri following behind her.

"Mortar incoming left!" He yelled as Yuri ran to jump across with the others.

She didn't notice that Yuri had fallen through the weak roof as Soap yelled behind her. "Yuri!"

She looked over at Soap who had taken a different rooftop route, to see the hole in the roof. She could see Yuri's frame protruding from the metal ceiling as he began to slowly stand up. A militiaman lifted his gun over his head to crash against Yuri's as he took out his knife quickly and slashed the man before he could make such move.

"Nice one, Yuri!" She said giving him a thumbs up. Maybe it wasn't as bad of an idea as Soap thought. They continued to run as Price yelled. "Yuri, I see you! Just keep moving!"

Melody nodded once to herself and continued run along the rooftops, trailing behind Price. She reached the end and just hopped down from the side, landing on her feet. Soap rolled his eyes, Melody was such a showoff. Melody looked over as Yuri came sprinting up beside them after taking the low route. Soap ran ahead, Yuri a step behind and Melody and Price trailing along. Melody stepped back as she nearly took a muzzleloader bullet to the head.

"Yuri, slot the bastards!" Price yelled looking at the two on top of the roof some meters ahead. He took them down with ease and Melody ran and stood a step behind Soap for a second as she reloaded her AK.

"We got a large group of militia heading our way." She heard Soap say looking ahead of them from their current location. Soap began to run out from the corner along with the others.

"Then we'll give them a proper greeting. Yuri-man the mortar on the roof." Price said glancing at Yuri. Melody watched as he took down the man on the roof and quickly sprinted up the steps to the mortar. He placed his gun on his back and wrapped his hands around the handles of the mortar, bringing back old Spetsnaz memories.

"Start putting shells downrange!" Soap commanded.

They immediately felt the ground shake under their feet as mortar fire took off in the nearest area. It seemed as though the mortars never stopped taking out the fleeing militia, knowing they were outnumbered at the moment. Melody took down some men hiding in the huts, she didn't like just standing around and let Yuri have all the fun.

"Look like we got two technical and a bunch of troops. Light 'em up!" Price yelled.

Melody looked over to see men running around the trucks, attempting to take out the man on the mortar. She took out her AK and started on those that stopped to aim their guns at him, but only met a mortar fire in their direction. One hid farther from the village huts and saw Melody carefully kneeling taking down targets. She was too concentrated on the moving hostiles to see him as he leaned over and aimed in on the girl. He gave a cat like grin as he pulled his finger back on the trigger, releasing RPD bullets towards Melody.

**Well, I think you can guess what I'm going to ask as Chapter question. What happens to Melody, considering she is alone in the open (sorta in the open) Will Soap save her from the ferocious RPD bullets? Hmmmm... All to be answered in Chapter 14!**

**Author's Note: You can tell me how terrible this chapter was, it will not hurt my feelings at all. For some reason, I could not get into like I usually do with my chapters. So feel free to R&R and leave you honest opinions on the reviews:) And thank you for being a good sport and reading:) Have a nice day!**


	14. Chapter 14

She didn't notice the hidden man aiming at her with his RPD and as stepped over to reload her gun, she cried out in pain as RPD bullets penetrated her right collar bone and shoulder. Yuri had heard her scream and looked over and saw the man trying to run before he could see him. But Yuri saw him and immediately sent his last mortar on the man, instantly killing him. Her gun flew out of her hands as she clutched against her shoulder, scolding to herself as she felt tears well in her eyes. Soap ran over and sat on one knee in front of her.

"Are you alright?" He immediately asked, trying his best to be gentle as he touched her shoulder.

"I'm fine! I just need to stand up." She said reaching out for her gun in front of her.

"Melody, this isn't some simple splinter, you need to be checked. Give me that." He said placing a hand on her good shoulder then reaching over to take her AK away from her.

"Hey! I said I was fine!" She protested giving him a glare.

"Here, just take this. C'mon." He said handing her his M9 and taking her other arm to help her up.

"Soap, I'm twenty-three; quit acting like I'm four." She said giving him a look as she took the pistol.

"Here's some advice, if you act like one, you're gonna be treated like one." He said rolling his eyes at her stubbornness.

Price and Yuri hopped down from the platform and followed Soap, Melody a step behind him, as he ran over to a back wall left of their direction. Melody looked over at him.

"Through here." He said sitting on his knee in front an underground sewage passage. She arched an eyebrow at him. For someone who she considering a giant sure did like to find small passages. He used his tools to pull apart the old wire bars and pulled the seal off the passage way. He stepped in first, crouching over and crawling inside. Price gestured for her to go first; she shrugged and followed a step behind Soap again. Yuri came in after her then Price. She was still amazed that all four of them had fit in there. She never considered herself perfect or slim, but she was glad that she was small enough that she had some room to crawl around in. Price's voiced echoed around the small enclosed area as he advised Nikolai.

"Nikolai, approaching the church now. And you're sure the cargo will be there?" He asked.

"It's the only area they could have moved to. If not there, then it's already on its way to Europe." Came her rasp reply.

"Let's hope he's right." Melody said trying to look over Soap's shoulder as she winced once as she brushed her shoulder against the hard pipe. She reached back from her backpack and pulled out a piece of cloth and medical tape. She placed a scarp of tape between her teeth and torn it in two and wrapped around the cloth of her shoulder.

"Mouse, isn't it? What are you doing?" She heard Yuri's voice ask behind her.

She laughed. "You'll want believe how long it's been since I've been called by my call sign. And what I'm doing, Olrf, is what we call 'multitasking'." She said looking over her shoulder with a smile.

He nodded, then furrowed his eyebrows. "Olrf, ma'am?"

"Our Little Russian Friend." She said counting them off on her fingers, even though he couldn't see.

He just chuckled at her and Soap rolled his eyes in annoyance. Though Melody would call it jealousy or ignorance, he didn't like Melody talking so friendly with him. Like she would with Soap. They made it to the end of the long pipe and Soap crawled out, taking Melody's good left hand and helping her up. They were immediately met with more bullets from the militia from inside empty and vacant buildings and on top rooftops. Melody pulled out the pistol Soap had given her and she tried to shoot some of the hostiles. Soap grabbed Melody by her waist as he ran her over to cover behind a raised cement wall feet behind him.

"Ah, hey!" She yelled at him as she tried to push herself out of his tight grip.

He carefully dropped her behind the wall and immediately went off to shooting at the hostiles. She was furious with him and his over-protective nature. She could barely walk down the street without him either grabbing her or forcing her to some other direction. She knew it was just because he was trying to protect her and watch out for her, but she was a Captain dammit. What kind of Captain just sits behind cover and lets all the others take care of her like some Malibu Barbie. She hated it! She peeked over and shot down three from the rooftops as he bent over to reload, she was surprised that she had actually shot down even one considering her arm. Once when that small area was clear, he reached over to pick her up again, but she slapped his hand like a child.

"No! I got shot in the shoulder, not my leg. I can walk." She said pointing a finger at him with a stern glare. He just chuckled at her and grabbed her good arm and forced her up. She ran behind him, almost like a shield, arm raised slightly pistol in one hand. Her eyes darted around her making sure they hadn't left any behind. She followed them down the street and again were met with more militia. She ran over to cover of a turned over market table. She liked this much more than hiding behind a stupid wall. A group of hostiles burst out through a building door, meeting Price's awaiting bullets. Melody took out those crawling on the ground and hurried along with the others as they entered the large tall steel building. With the way hostiles were popping out of nowhere, it was a constant reload battle. Especially for Melody whose bullets held less than the others. She hoped she wouldn't run out of ammo before she even made four meters. Clearing the building, she ran out in front of the others which made Soap nervous. He knew she could take care of herself, but still. With their relationship just starting, if it were to last that is, he couldn't lose her before they even started; so to speak. They finally made it to the building just meters away from the church where they had to find the cargo at. Melody stood between Yuri and Price, feeling like a ten year old looking up at their faces.

"Soap, get the door!" Price ordered beside her.

He reared back and took the door full on, shoulder banging against the wood. The door opened with a bang and they immediately ran inside. Melody wanted to sprint out of the place, whether or not she had Soap and the others with her. It was the old school room. Maps and pictures of heroes of the past hung on the walls. A special corner was for the student of the week. She had brought her camera and someone had given her a computer for the school to print them out and place on the walls. She used the arts and crafts time to make colorful and glittering frames for the children. They were amazed at the art she had drawn for them and loved it when she would announce the student of the week. She thought it was best that it was a little competition; they would be working hard to learn this information like Math, Spelling, and some History. While she pushed them to work their hardest she also told them that she would also be there if they had any struggle no matter the subject to come to her for help. Those words almost bit her in the butt as she thought how they must've been terrified when they were all being murdered for nothing. She looked over at one wall with a half-hanging, dirt covered picture of a class picture. She walked over and dusted it off, even though her team was waiting for her to move on. She looked at the photo then snapped back into reality as she felt her good shoulder being shook by Soap, telling her to snap out of it. She shook her head as if to shake off the memories. She ran behind Soap and Price and beside Yuri, pistol securely rose in front of her.

"There's the church." Soap said looking up the hill of the market.

Melody looked up to see a chopper circling around the back of the church. She arched an eyebrow and looked over at Soap, he saw the same thing.

"Price, there's the bird. They're the moving the cargo!" Soap yelled.

Melody ran over to the nearest cover and starting firing at the hostiles with her pistol as Price ran around them.

"We're almost out of time. We have to get to that church now!" He yelled looking at them.

They all started dashing up the hill for the church. Militia were they just like the whole time to delay them even though they were able to somehow clear through the place. They popped in and out of cover trying to clear out a faster path to the church. She ran to the church porch behind the doors and waited for the others to catch up. One man ran out and found her behind the door. She squealed as the man beat her injured shoulder with the butt of his gun and she sank down in pain. As he went to straighten his gun she was glad hers was so small and quickly lifted her leg up and slammed the heel of her foot to his groin, bringing him down. She took her pistol and made two shots to the head.

"Damn, so much violence in such a small body." Soap said helping her up.

She smirked then let it fade as she saw the blood running down her arm. 'Aw, man.' She thought trying to mop it up with the baggy sleeve of her shirt, almost like Soap's baggy and loose material but a dark clouded green. She prayed he hadn't seen it and went into the church behind the others. Thankfully, no had seen her bloody arm and continued on. She found it painful to even lift the gun, even on her left side which was fine. It seemed as if it drained all her energy. The pain of the bullets still lodged into her skin and making it even more severe with every second she waited to even consider looking at it. She winced as she slid down the wall behind cover. They were too busy with the hostiles running around. She groaned at the sudden burning she felt in her shoulder and she knew she was going to need attention. But, she felt embarrassed by calling out for the others to look after her. She felt weak and she didn't want anyone else to think she was. Beads of sweet started to form on her brow and she heard Soap's voice yell from in front of her.

"Church is clear!" He said.

She advised it and weakly gripped onto the chair she was near and pulled herself up with the weight on her left arm. They were all moving so much faster than she was, she hated it so much. She hated feeling weak and useless like this. They all seemed to just run around and yell commands at each other, which made her throb painfully.

"Stack up at the door!" Price yelled.

She felt Yuri come by and grab her good arm and help her to walk over to the door. She gave him a grin as thanks since she was too overwhelmed by the pain in her arm to say anything. He let her go as they stacked up on the door; Melody leaning against the fixture for support. Soap glanced at her with a wary look then the doors flew open. Yuri was first and she heard the yapping of an angered hyena come flying towards him. She could see his body being slammed against the ground, one hand holding him back as he shot down some of the men around. She walked out as he began to stand up, attempting to shoot at the escaping chopper with the cargo with one of the weapons lying around. Price shot the last one still remaining. Melody sat on over on the shipments gently pulling back the cloth to examine her wound. She hissed at the bloody swollen sight. She moaned thinking about how long it was going to take until her arm was alright. She didn't want to sit around some base all day while Soap, Price and Yuri were risking their lives. It didn't feel right.

"Damn. Nikolai, the shipment's gone. We missed our window." Price said angrily stepping back and forth and looking at Melody's arm. She looked over as Soap took a crowbar and opened the second wooden crate.

"What about Makarov?" Nikolai asked.

"Must've done a runner. Just get us out of here. And, we have wounded." Price said looking inside the crate.

"Melody?" Nikolai asked in a knowing tone.

"Yes, again." Price said looking over at her.

She scoffed and pressed a bloody finger to her ear. "I can hear you Nikolai. Thanks so much for your boat of confidence." She said referring to that he knew exactly who it was and that he had so little belief that she went through a mission without getting hurt. She heard Nikolai's chuckle from the other end of the conversation.

Soap scoffed. "Empty. What do you think Makarov was after?" He asked looking inside the empty crate. All that was inside was just wires and cables that meant nothing.

"We'll ask the bastard when we find him." Price said walking away.

Soap gave Melody a look as she pressed at her wound. "Not a word, Scotland." She warned with smile as he came over to her.

"I'm so scared." He said in a fake terrified voice.

She rolled her eyes and lifted one arm as he wrapped an arm around her waist to pick her up. No use in fighting it and besides, she didn't mind it so much right now considering the pain. She placed her arm carefully away from his chest cradling around her breasts. Yuri looked over at them as Soap carried her back inside the church to get a better look at her injury.

"Thanks for the help, Olrf." She said with a grin.

He gave her a half-hearted grin and looked up at the Captain. Hearing that Yuri had helped her while she was wounded made him relax some about him. At least someone was looking after his Melody when he wasn't. She settled back into the hollow of Soap's shoulder, feeling weak and tired as he carried her towards an over-turned table.

**Two Hours Later:**

"Sss, hey watch it." Melody hissed as they placed the peroxide pad on her bare shoulder. She hated having her shirt off in front of the other guys. Her face was a red crimson from embarrassment and she wished this would go faster. He mumbled an apology.

"How much longer is this?" She asked, awkwardly wrapping an arm around her as she heard voices from the other side of the closed door.

"Not much longer, ma'am. You're a pretty fast healer. But you should give that arm some rest for a while." He said glancing up at her and back at her red shoulder.

She nodded then looked down at his hands pressing lightly against her shoulder. She noticed a shiny gold band on his left hand; fourth finger. She grinned. "Married, Doc?" She asked.

"Yeah, going on fifteen years." He said with a smile. "What about you?" He asked cautiously glancing up at her.

She just chuckled. "Marriage is overrated." She joked pushing back a loose strand of hair.

He smirked. "There. You should be good for a little while. We can get better work done on you when we get back to the base. That is, if we do." He said handing her folded baggy shirt back at her.

"Cool." She said carefully pulling the shirt back over her shoulders. She hopped off the turned table and went to walk off.

"Wait, take this or you'll be tasting the ground." He said handing her a cup of a pink-red liquid.

She wrinkled her nose at it then quickly threw her head back and let the liquid wash down her throat. She made a face. "You coulda told me it tasted like horse pee before I drank it." She said wrinkling her nose at the awful taste.

He just laughed at her and walked with her back outside where everyone was waiting. She rubbed her neck and stood beside Soap who was talking with Price. "What's going on?" She asked looking over his shoulder. She looked over to see Price on a phone and neither of them turned to look over at her, except for Soap who just glanced. She could hear a silent pause on the other side.

"Mac, its John." Price finally said.

She heard an audible sigh and more murmuring.

"It was Makarov. The bastard slipped through my fingers in Sierra Leone. What does MI6 know?" Price replied with an angered tone.

More voices came from the other side and she could tell that Price was getting aggravated. "Don't give me that! You still owe me for Prypiat. I'm calling it in." Price said.

The man on the other end explained everything, whatever it was, to Price then ended their conversation. Soap and Melody looked over at the man.

"So what's going on?" Melody asked again glancing between them.

"We're headed to Somalia. Mac said there was a delivery freighter owned by a man named Waraabe." Price said looking at the two.

"What's the security look like?" Soap asked leaning against one of the crates.

"Strictly second division. Local triggermen guard the compound." Price explained.

Melody crossed her arms as much as she could and scoffed.

"We'll stick out like bullocks on a bulldog. Stealth's not an option." Soap said just as irritated.

"Then we'll just have to kick in the front door. Tell Nikolai to ready his men." Said Price.

"Well, we should be getting ready then." Melody said pushing herself off the crate and walking in front of the two. They both looked at her with a strange look.

"What?" She asked not liking to look on their faces.

"Melody. You might have to consider sitting this one out. It wouldn't be any good on your arm." Soap said taking a step towards her.

"What? That's so stupid!" She said furrowing her eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, Mells." Soap paused and leaned in towards her. "You know _I_ can't have anything happen to you. And you being hurt is ending with your arm." He whispered looking into her eyes.

She pursed her lips looking away from his face with an annoyed expression. She turned her head back towards him, anger boiling in her eyes. "Fine. But I'm not promising staying at wherever the hell you put me like a stupid housewife." She snapped at him and walked away to Nikolai's chopper.

Later, Melody decided, along with Soap and Price that she would stay with some of Nikolai's men in a safe house miles away from the mission location. She angrily hopped out of the chopper with two other men feeling completely ridiculous. Soap jumped off for a second and jogged over to a steaming Melody. He grabbed her good arm and pulled her back to him. He quickly kissed her lips for a second then broke apart. She grinned, immediately feeling calmer then looked up at him.

"Just in case and for good luck." He said with a crooked smile, explaining the kiss.

"You come back alive! You die and I will kill you." She said taking his face in her cold hands with a smile.

"I'm trembling with fear." He mocked kissing her forehead and breaking apart to meet back with Price.

"Hey Scotland!" She said walking back up to him.

He turned back over with an interested face. She walked up to him and lifted her hands up to her neck and took off the chain that held her dog tags. She held them in her hand for a second then carefully threw them over his neck. "Be careful." She said hugging him one last time; whispering in his ear. He sighed and locked his arms around her waist, squeezing her tight as he felt it would be the last time he could. They kissed each other once more and Melody walked away, leaving an almost broken-hearted Soap to walk slowly to the chopper, tags looping around his fingers. She gave him a weak wave and turned to walk inside the safe house with the others.


	15. Notification! Notification!

**Not a Chapter; It's a little notification from me (The Author lol)**

**I was looking over some previous chapters of mine and I happened to notice that I had used the statement '**_**I will be making my own missions)**_** I have to say since Modern Warfare 3 has been released and though some of you may have seen what happens, I must warn those who haven't there will be spoilers from gameplay and plot but, of course, with my OCs. Chapter's 13 and 14 and all those after will be from both missions and cutscenes. Just a little notice so if you go and complain that I'm ruining it for those who haven't played/seen Mw3, yet. You, apparently, didn't regard to my advice:) Some may be non-Mw3 if they were just from my mind or include an OC moment alone. But anyways, I will be updating as soon as I can, but until then…. Have a nice day:) **

**-Shelby **


	16. Chapter 16

**Authors Note: Sorry it took so long to update. The past week has been hectic and Thanksgiving week even more terrifying. Lol, but i've finally been able to write and now I am finally updating after what feels like forever. But anyway, Story starts in 3...2...2...1!**

"Anton, do you have them on your sights?" Melody asked; a wrap around her shoulder and arm.

"Yes, Captain Johnston. We see them clear, they are approaching desired location." Anton said looking over his screen to look at the woman sitting behind him, legs crossed and hair loose over her shoulders as she stared intently at the screen. She would remind anyone of a teenage girl watching her favorite soap opera.

"Good. Keep tracking them. If we lose any signal, someone's gonna get fired." She said in a stern voice.

One man scoffed at the woman and strengthened the tracking signal.

**Yuri:**

He sat in the back seat of their Jeep, rolling into Somalia. The wind whipped dust and dirt around creating a tan blockade as they drove along the shore of a clear blue sandy beach. He held his gun between his legs and looked up at the destination. He could see a distant lighthouse on a hill and the formation of buildings in the background. He looked over at Price as he began to talk.

"Just move quick and we can trap Waraabe before he bolts." He said slightly looking at Yuri. Soap then placed an arm on the back of Price's seat and looked over at Yuri.

"Sandstorm's moving in fast. We only got one shot at this." He said then turned back over in his seat.

Yuri nodded once then stood up in the back, pulling his body up above the bars. He pulled out his gun as Price ordered all the team to take point through the gate. They dipped back down as they splashed through the water, cold fresh water coming up and splashing their faces with the ocean water. They quickly neared the access gate of offshore shipment compound. They skidded and straightened themselves out as Soap pulled himself up and craned his neck back to look at Nikolai's bird as he came hovering over them, awaiting orders.

"Nikolai, soften 'em up!" He yelled through his earpiece.

"Missiles away." Came Nikolai's static reply.

"Targets ahead. Engage! Engage!" Price began to yell as a group of men swarmed around the gate aiming for the incoming enemy Jeeps. It was easy to take them down and they sped into the village, tearing the gates of their metal shingles as they crashed through them, one by one. They skidded again at the weight of their Jeeps and stopped, hopping out the side as dozens of men surrounded the small ocean-side shipment compound. Unknowingly, Melody tracked their moves back at HQ with the rest of Nikolai's men.

Targets skillfully hid behind large crates and cars, providing cover as they reloaded and popped in and out to return fire on the opposing men. Some even ran up towards the platform as the team stormed on the shipment floor.

"Slot these bastards fast!" Soap yelled.

It seemed like those were the words that made all the men just fall over. What were groups of men shortened as Yuri, Price and Soap continued and pushed forward. Loud, ringing sirens played around them, warning every one of unwelcomed men. Loud crashes were heard as Price entitled of recent mortar fire via comm.

"Waraabe's compound is at the end of the road." He paused hearing the sound of an echoing mortar fire near the location. "They're targeting us with mortar fire!" He shouted.

Soap advised the news. "Nikolai, we need air support!" He shouted at him.

"Moving into position now." He replied after a minute or so.

Yuri jumped behind the nearest cover he could find and pulled out a sleek remote controlled chopper turret. Yuri began to see the carefully red squared marked figures running around the screen, known as the targets. He immediately swiped his finger across the screen, marking a place for the chopper turret of Nikolai's bird. He saw the direct missiles come non-stop from above, raining death. The faster the targets appeared the sooner they disappeared from sight. After comments on his precise targeting from the squad he pulled the control back and put it away for further use; seeing the present area was clear for now.

"Circling around for another pass." Nikolai directed as Yuri ran up to the others.

More militiamen covered their path to Waraabe's compound. Men ran back and forth as the men slowly approached them, taking cover to reload then pop in and out to release the ammo on the targets; a repeated cycle. Each of the men saw distant trucks coming up from the dusty dirt road from the North bearing loaded gunners in the beds. It was easy to take them down after some multiple fire on them and overheating the engines and guns. It was easier to get closer to their destination with them gone for now.

"Let's go! We have to get Waraabe!" Price yelled at them as they began to run up the slanted dirt-rock hill.

They all followed Price as the passed the burning cars and random burning items lying scattered around the ground. They continued to follow him as they saw more men rushing around as the group made their approach. Some were positioned high above on the roofs with decals on the roof to protect them with cover. Although, it was easy to spot them since their darker tan skin stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the bright yellows and dusty whites. Their area became more clear as they pressed on, thinking this to be too easy. Which unnerved Yuri and Soap. At this time, Soap just wanted to get this over with so he could get back to Melody while at the same time he wanted to get Waraabe and be one step closer to Makarov so they could end this chaos. Melody desired the same back at the HQ with Nikolai's men, but at the moment she was more focused on the mission then being with Soap; which she felt awful for. As Soap fastened Melody's dog tags back under his shirt, they heard Nikolai advising Price.

"Price, the remote gun is online." He said.

Yuri took that advancement and took care of the remaining militia in the area using the remote gunner turret again. After his reign of the turret, the group began pushing towards a large wide building that must be Waraabe's compound. They all ran towards it as Price led the way, giving each orders.

"Bravo Team, secure the perimeter. Yuri, Soap, let's find the bastard." He said looking at one part of the separating squad then began to run towards one side of the building.

"Echo Team, we're entering the target building." Price advised as they round one corner of a long hallway.

The three were separately surprised when they heard Melody's calm voice on the other side of their comms.

'Just can't go one day with just resting, huh Mells?' Soap had thought to himself.

"Nikolai, prepare for exfil. Echo Team is standing by." They heard her say.

Though they were surprised, they didn't find it too shocking considering her. Yuri just shook his head slightly at the girl while Price showed no emotion; Soap had a grin plastered on his lips.

Yuri slowly and carefully climb each step, swinging the gun towards each corner checking each before moving on. As he reached the foot of the stairs, he saw two or three men dash across the balcony meters away from him. He was quick to take them down as he awaited the others to meet him at the hallway. As they began searching for Waraabe more, they heard Melody again as she got more info on Waraabe.

"Possible visual on Waraabe. 2nd floor balcony." She advised, voice tensing slightly. Soap could tell she must be concentrating on something in front of her. Whatever it was.

They crossed the corner and turned towards another long hallway as they cleared the last. Soap positioned himself at one door and Price the other. They kicked the doors in front of them down and immediately began firing at the closet moving target they could find. Soon the crowd thinned some as they continued on and met back across the wide circular balcony. Price looked over and saw the door he knew to be Waraabe's office. He advised the others of it and they began to swiftly walk towards it.

"All right, weapons tight. We need him alive." He said as they stacked up near the door.

Yuri stood beside the door as he place the C4 pack on the door and stood aside, waiting for the signaling crash of the explosive to enter the room. The room was filled with about four other men including Waraabe who stood behind one who acted as guard. The three were able to take out the others as one of Waraabe's men's gun misfired and shot Waraabe in the thigh, wounding him critically. The three walked towards him with swift strides.

"Gasmasks on." Price ordered as he slightly lifted Waraabe and kicked him back onto a pile of crates where he frantically looked at the covered faces of the intruders while clutching at his thigh. Price walked up to him, a small canister of gas that was used to kill SAS members during the chemical attack in Europe. He placed a hand on the pin.

"Look familiar?" Price said to Waraabe, pulling the pin and throwing it across the room.

"No, no! Please!" Waraabe uselessly begged as he watched the gas lifting around the corner and the dead body on the floor.

Price pulled out an extra gasmask from his vest and held it a few feet from a frantic Waraabe. He reached for it but Price yanked it back.

"Where's Makarov? Tell me and it's yours." He persuaded as the man looked at him with panicky eyes.

He tried to reach it one more time but realized it was useless and he wanted to live. He looked down at the floor for a second and knew that he wasn't going to get that mask until he told them what he knew.

"Our contact was a man named Volk! We never met Makarov!" He then said loudly terror in his dark eyes.

Soap walked up to him and smashed his foot against his wounded thigh, causing him to scream in pain.

"Where's this Volk? Time's running out, mate." He said glancing at the slowly approaching gas.

"Paris! He oversaw the delivery in Paris!" Waraabe then screamed.

Soap and Price exchanged a look and Soap removed his foot from Waraabe's leg and began to walk towards the back exit as Price tossed the mask to him and he immediately went to placing it on his head a bit relieved.

"Right then. This is for the boys at Hereford." Price said turning half a step and pulled out his pistol. He swung it towards him and Waraabe caught the action from the corner of his eye.

"Wait!" He screamed one last time as the bullet penetrated his skull, killing him instantly.

Price then walked over to join the other outside. "Nikolai, Melody, Waraabe broke. We have what we need. Ready for exfil." Price advised both Nikolai and Melody and the men at HQ.

"Almost there. The LZ looks clear but that sand storm is moving in fast." Nikolai replied.

"Wait, what damn sand storm?" Melody then asked clearly not able to see on her scopes at command.

Nikolai advised her of which direction of the town it was approaching on and she replied saying that she saw it. Though she hadn't said it aloud, she honestly started to fear for the men on the ground; especially Soap. But she had tried to remain calm and stop thinking of all the negative things that could happen to them.

"We see it. Meet you in 20 seconds." Price said after Nikolai's explanation.

Soap stared up at the approaching sand storm nearly covering the whole town except the small portion that still remaining. "That storm is massive." He said softly.

They ran off towards the exfil point to meet up with the rest. Soap thoughts continued to flood his mind though he knew he had to be on guard. He knew how it was. As Melody had told him once, 'Never kills to be cautious. But not being cautious will get you killed'. They saw some of Nikolai's men waiting for them and Nikolai's bird hovering above them, waiting to take the men away from the town and away from the fast approaching sand storm.

"So, you think Waraabe was telling the truth about Volk?" Soap had asked.

Price nodded once. "He was telling the truth. I'd bet Makarov's life on it." He replied. "Well, start..." Price had begun to say something else as one of the men then fell down dead, a sudden sniper bullet coming and crashing his skull.

Soap immediately looked around and spotted a man in a covered window, barrel of a sniper peeking out the side. "Sniper!" He then yelled. "Ambush." He then yelled alerting everyone.

"Nikolai, get out of here!" Price yelled through his comm.

"Price, what's going on? What's happening?" Melody asked hearing the commotion over the comm at command. Her heartbeat had picked up again and all those negative thoughts then filled her head until she just wanted to scream.

"We've been ambushed! We need a second exfil point!" He yelled at her.

"Shit! We're working on it Price, at the meantime, just don't die and be careful!" She ordered warily.

Each man yelled orders at each other as they tried to escape through a different pass; trying to by themselves some time. Dozens of men surrounded them on the rooftops and behind abandoned trucks and small fences of vacant homes. Each hid behind the closest cover they could find and started firing on the targets that appeared from everywhere.

"Nikolai, change of plan. Head to the secondary LZ!" Price commanded after some of the action began to barely die down.

"That sand storm is coming in fast. I won't be able to touchdown once it hits." Nikolai warned the men on the ground.

"Just be there." Price replied simply.

Everyone continued trying to eliminate all the enemy contact they could find, losing some of their own men in the process. Each were a bit relieved as the contact began to lessen as they pushed on. Though, the sand storm still was a main threat. Price, seeing the clear open square, began to lead his squad on.

"We've got to push through to the secondary LZ before the storm hits. Let's move!" He yelled.

They picked up the pace as more men appeared as they turned the corner. A technical came by along with men on more rooftops and in the beds of the trucks, ready for the men as they attempted to escape. Some of the militia on roofs carried RPG's and other small rockets for them. They were persistent. The trees began to beat and whip back and forth as the wind began to pick up some speed; signaling that storm was approaching faster than wanted. Nikolai noticed this change.

"Price, the winds are getting stronger." He warned them.

"Just hold on, Nikolai. We're on the way." Price said slightly impatient.

Tree branches swayed in the wind, nearly completely bent over. Sand and dust were picked up in the ferocious wind and floated around two or more feet off the ground. They finally made it out of the square and began to run up a hill. As they did, they saw more militia trucks start driving towards them, gunners mounted and ready in the back.

"Contact front! Look out!" Soap called out, warning the others.

They knew their time was running out so they quickly took out the truck as it started down the hill towards them, catching on fire and exploding as it reached the end. It was easier to take out the others after they had finished them. A large pillar of smoke began to rise from the burning truck, mixing with the sand creating an even more blockage.

"Multiple enemies are closing in." Nikolai advised.

"More of them on the roof." Price added after him.

"Keep pushing through!" Soap also yelled.

More yells from the men came as each kept pushing through the dozens of men that continued to appear before them; either on the rooftops or from vacant houses and stores in the small old town.

"The LZ's close. Keep moving!" Price then yelled after some of the men disappeared from sight, clearing the area.

The cut behind a building and began to ran to their LZ. The wind and sand started to pick up more brutal. Tree branches swayed more swiftly and really began to beat against the sides of buildings, even breaking some weak glass. They ran up some steps leading to a square of large and tall half-built buildings. They looked like in the middle of being made before all of this started. Sand and dust swept through the glassless windows and covered the place in dust and other things flying in the wind. Torn pieces of fabrics flapped uncontrollably in the wind.

"Nikolai, the LZ is in sight." Price advised after they found the area to be clear.

"Move fast. I don't know how much longer I can fly in this storm." Nikolai said back warily.

One of the walls of the buildings then crashed down before them, tearing some debris down with them. The weight of the heavy wall shook the ground slightly, causing vibrations under their feet and an echoing crash around them in the air. They then heard gunfire from under the construction. A handful of militia hid in the rooms of the nearly torn down building. It was easy to take them out as they rounded the corners, looking for a way to the roof.

"We need to push to the top floor. Let's move." Price commanded.

Yuri went and took care of those who hid in the darker corners and behind shipping crates in the storage.

"First floor clear. Move!' Price yelled as they rounded up the stairs.

Figures appeared before them as they spread out on the floor. There only appeared to be few so they took them out with ease. Some hid behind crates and walls for cover, those who were left that is. Soap rounded a corner, checking it and found it to be clear.

"Second floor clear! Keep moving!" He yelled climbing up the last set of stairs to the roof.

"Nikolai, we're at the LZ. Where are you?" Price asked coming up the steps to the roof.

"Almost there." Was Nikolai's reply.

They could see more men appear beneath them, attempting to fire at Nikolai's cautious bird in the back. Yuri and the others pulled out their guns on them immediately. It seemed these guys were popping out of nowhere.

"The site is too hot! I can't land." Nikolai then said, waving off some.

"Yuri, get on the remote turret and thin them out!" Price commanded.

Yuri nodded once and ducked to cover to be better protected as he fixed his concentration on the red marked targets on the glass. He saw the many surrounding red targets on the screen as he began to label them for the turret. He noticed that some of them were targeting Nikolai's Bird with RPG's and other rockets. Nikolai did his best to block them.

"Their aim is getting better." He commented on one that had barely missed him. They were all then surprised as they saw one lucky RPG rocket come and land on target of the Bird, causing it to come in flames and the Bird began to spin uncontrollably.

**I guess I don't really have a chapter question since the question would be very obvious. But anyway, don't be afraid of the review button! I promise it won't bite! Lol just kidding. But, seriously. It would make my day, check that week, if I got some feedback. Positive, negative, constructive criticism will be welcome:) Thanks, and have an awesome day! (or night depending on where you live:)**


	17. Chapter 17: Changes

"He's outta control." Price stated seeing the chopper spinning. He had also noticed that the Bird appeared to come closer and closer to their location.

"We gotta get off this roof!" Price yelled.

Melody intently watched as their satellite picked up their movements. She watched as the three began running across the roof towards the edge of the roof. Soap stood there for a second longer than the others. Melody then grew angry with fear as the man waited. He then jumped off and grabbed the rope on the side of the building and rappelled with the others, landing safely on the ground as the sandstorm blanketed over them making it impossible to see. Price immediately began to try and reach Nikolai.

"Nikolai? Nikolai, do you copy?" Price asked.

It was complete silence from the other side of the comm as Nikolai hadn't answered. Price then grew wary over their old friend.

"What the bloody hell are we going to do now?" Soap then asked warily.

"Melody, Nikolai's Bird is down and the sandstorm is on top of us. We need emergency exfil!" Price then said, finger pressed to his ear.

"Roger, Price. We'll contact you when we get a fix on Nikolai." She answered. "Hurry! Search everywhere you can for Nikolai's signal. Now!" Melody then said looking over at the man who just continued to stare at her for a second. He then jolted at her sudden fierceness and immediately went to tracking Nikolai everywhere, all across the small town. Melody nervously bit on her nails and bottom lip as she waited to find any trace of her new friend. She hadn't known Nikolai very long, but she knew how important he was to both Price and Soap. She had also grown very fond of him since she had first met him. She smiled at the fond memory then concentrated on reality, scolding herself for daydreaming in such a serious situation as this.

Price saw a metal gate before them as they grew closer to it. Soap quickly found the locks on it then raised his gun and shot the lock loose. Price kicked them open and began to run through them.

"C'mon lads, we have to find Nikolai before Waraabe's men do!" Price said.

Soap and Yuri followed behind the man, trying to see through the thick sand. They saw a light moving further ahead of them, then realized they were headlights on a vehicle. Soap immediately ducked, trying to avoid the lights.

"Vehicle coming through. Stay low and keep moving!" Price said.

The vehicle soon left without noticing the three men walking carefully through the town. The winds began to blow again and it became more difficult to see.

"I can't see two feet in front of me." Soap said aggravated.

As he said that, they spotted a distant light ahead of them. They could see the shadows of confused men and men trying to see through the thick dust and sand.

The three quickly took them out, though one had slipped through their line of sight.

"We gotta move." Price said standing straight then rushing off forward. Price placed a finger to his ear as he tried to contact Melody at the base. "Melody, what's your status?" He had asked, growing impatient.

"We've located Nikolai's chopper. It's half a click south of your position." Melody informed.

As Melody had said this, Price had noticed a distant shadow moving ahead of them. "Get down!" He said as a shot had fired above them.

A fire had sent ahead of them close were the hostile was standing. The fire was a large junk pile that looked like a chopper or something like it.

"They must've found Nikolai." Soap guessed as they finished the hostile.

As they turned a corner and begun to walk towards one center, they heard Team Two, who had also been searching for any sign of Nikolai and his downed chopper.

"Price, we've reached Nikolai, but we're under heavy fire!" Team Two Leader said.

"Hang on, we're almost there!" Price replied a second after.

They crossed another corner in the heavy sandstorm and saw more figures appear before them. They seemed as though they were searching for something, or someone.

"Looks like they're headed for Nikolai." Soap muttered quietly.

Melody bit her nails in wariness and anxiousness. When one man stared at her as she gasped as one hostile had come to close to Soap, but he confronted the man back by tripping him then killing him with the man's pistol. She felt someone's eyes on her face; she trailed the feeling with her wary brown eyes and found the man at controls, Anton, staring up at her with an arched eyebrow. He found it strange that someone in her profession still gasped when someone was attacked.

"Shut up." She said; sounding like a little kid. The man rolled his eyes and focused on controls.

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly and crossed her arms annoyed and concentrated back on the men on the ground and finding Nikolai.

"Drop 'em!" Price then commanded as the group nearly passed them.

It seemed the whole town was out looking for the fallen comrade. They took down the group with ease and continued to move forward. Soap checked the corners and darker spots of the roads then something had caught his eye.

"There's Nikolai's chopper!" He said realizing the frame of the helicopter.

"Echo Team's pinned down. Let's move!" Price ordered, beginning to sprint.

They then met a crowd of hostiles in the open, next to the downed chopper as it set up in flames.

"Echo Team, we're approaching your position from the south." Price advised a minute after.

"Copy that." Echo Team Leader had said back amidst the gunfire.

Dozens of men surrounded them on either ground or rooftop. It was easy to spot them out though since they tried to search everywhere for the men that were after Nikolai as their flashlight ray swirled and circled in every direction. It took some time to take them all down since it was harder to see their bodies so they had to track the ray and guess the exact location they were standing at. But when they finally took them down, Yuri checked his surroundings one last time then ran over to Nikolai and the others.

"Good to see you, mates! Where's the convoy?" Price then asked, patting one of them on the back with a hard force.

Melody grinned back at the base as she saw their convoy coming towards the men and seeing that everyone was fine.

"We've got two vehicles 50 meters to the northwest!" One of the Echo Team men had stated.

Price nodded once to himself then placed a finger on his ear. "Echo-2, we've got Nikolai! We're heading for exfil point!" Price advised Melody and the others back at the base.

Yuri extended a hand towards Nikolai who sat on the ground beside them. Nikolai reached out to take his hand and stood up. Yuri bent down and grabbed the man by his leg and threw him over his shoulders. They all then turned to the west and began running towards a dark path. They continued to sprint towards the exfil point; Yuri struggled to hold the man on his shoulders and dodged the gunfire he could clearly hear behind them. They kept running, able to dodge the opposing forces behind them. They then grew closer to a deep, ridge that could've passed for a smaller hill.

"There they are, just pass that ridge. " Someone from Echo Team had said, encouraging the men to run faster to the convoy.

They came close to the ridge and some began to jump and slid down the sandy ridge.

"We have to keep moving." Soap said as he jumped down with them.

Yuri quickly let Nikolai down and pushed him down the ridge, allowing him access to the bottom. He then jumped after the rest and slid down. Another member of Echo Team had retrieved Nikolai at the bottom and took him to one of the convoys.

Yuri jumped in the back of one while the others chose different ones. They immediately began driving away from the sandy dark place that had been bright and sunny not even an hour before. They could hear the yells of militia in defeat and anger as they drove away. Some still remained on guard as the sped away from the place.

Soap wasn't as tensed as he slowly sat back in the truck. "So if Volk's in Paris, how are we getting there in the middle of a bloody war?" Soap asked.

"We can't, but I know who can." Price said.

After a while, they had made it back to base with the men intact. They all then jumped out of the back of the trucks, some relieved to be back. Some of the team took Nikolai to be looked at while Price, Yuri and Soap walked back with the others inside. Soap immediately began looking for Melody. He couldn't seem to find her small form or eyes anywhere amongst the older and larger men. He then saw her softly push someone aside to see the returning soldiers. At first she smiled then she began to glare. She stomped over towards Soap, pushing in between Price and Yuri. She came up to him and punched him all the might she had in the arm. He winced at the punch.

"What was that for?" He then asked, chuckling at her anger.

"You scared the shit outta me! Don't just stop when an out-of-control chopper is coming towards you! You're such a freaking jerk!" She said crossing her arms angrily.

He chuckled again and wrapped his arms around her though she continued to glare at him. She gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck and kept him close. "I'm still mad at you, Scotland." She said with a smile.

Soap kept an arm around her waist as Melody ran a hand through her hair, pulling back wavy brown hair from her face. "So, what's next on the agenda?" She asked taking a deep breath through the nose, looking at Price.

"Well, we know who made the bomb that killed those men in London. His name is Volk. He's in Paris, but I think I know someone who can get the job done for us." Price explained looking at the two.

"Who?" She asked arching an eyebrow. Sometimes, she hated it when he said he had someone to take care of the job. Last time it had nearly got her killed a couple years ago. 'I'm definitely never go back there again.' She thought remembering the mission.

"You'll see." He said with a grin.

That made her even more anxious. "I hate it when you say that." She sighed with a grin.

MacTavish smiled at her expression. Once Melody decided she had had enough for the day she walked back to her room, Soap a step behind her.

"Mells, I need to show you something." He said taking her hand.

She arched an eyebrow. "What is it?" She asked walking towards him, intertwining her fingers with his.

"Just c'mon, you'll see." He said with a grin.

"That doesn't make it sound any exciting to me." She said with a wary expression.

He led her back into his room down the hall. She closed his door behind her and placed her hands in her pockets and just stood there for a second. She had never really been in his room before so this was something new to take in. She made soft clicking noises with her tongue and looked around the place as he went off somewhere to get something. She casually walked into the small quaint little living room. She ran a hand on the upholstery of the couch and looked at the bare walls. It reminded her much of her own room just some doors down. No pictures or simple décor around the room. She did happen to find a small square frame at the end of the couch on a small table. She leaned back to see if MacTavish was anywhere, than picked up the picture. It showed two children and two adults. She looked at the face of each, focusing more on the small boy with straight black hair. She knew who it was when she saw the icy blue eyes. She guessed Soap was around five or seven when this was taken. She looked at the younger girl beside him who was poking him; Melody guessed she was in the middle of annoying MacTavish the time it was taken. I guess that would explain why his head was turned slightly towards her, glaring slightly. She just seemed to enjoy it more. Melody smiled at the two. She guessed it was his sister or cousin. She also guessed the two who stood above them were his parents, since she could see a strong resemblance between the older man and Soap, but he had the same blue eyes as the woman.

"Looks as though I can't keep anything from you." She heard Soap's voice come from the room with a laugh.

She snapped her head up in his direction. "Sorry." She mumbled placing the frame back on the end table. "So, what did you want me to see?" She asked smiling at him.

He returned her smile and pulled out something from his back pocket. It was a small black book. She arched an eyebrow.

"What is it?" She asked as he placed it in her hand.

"Open it and find out." He simply said staring at her expression with a happy grin.

She glanced at him once as she loosened the strap on the journal then opened the book. She looked as she saw an opening to a journal piece. She decided not to read it unless he asked her too. She continued to flip through the pages, seeing more entries and sketches of his previous missions since the SAS. She stopped once as she saw her face on one. She arched an eyebrow. It was an older one; she could tell it was back at the base on the outskirts of Afghanistan. She was squinting from the sun; one hand shaded her face. She thought she must've been busy talking with someone to notice that he was even drawing her. She looked up at him for a second; his cheeks burned slightly. She grinned and flipped and saw another one of her, one of her smiling at someone. But that wasn't what made her mouth gape open. Carefully placed to the thin paper was a thin, beautiful sliver ring. A small shining diamond in the center. She stared up in amazement at him. He grinned nervously; anxious about her reaction.

"Surprise." He said quietly.

She didn't know what to think except… "I hope this doesn't come out hurtfully, but what is this?" She asked trying to let the moment absorb.

"It was my grandmother's engagement ring. She passed it down to my father, who gave it to my mother. Before I left to join Price and the others five years ago, she gave me this as a reminder of what's waiting back at home for me. And also if I find some girl in my life that I really loved, to give it to her. So when we were in Somalia I thought, 'What the hell might as well do one nice thing before I die.'" He said rubbing his neck nervously.

She slowly smiled at the thought. "It's beautiful, MacTavish. Really it is." She said carefully holding the delicate ring in her hand; hoping that her clumsiness doesn't kick in.

He smiled; relieved that she hadn't freaked out about it. He stepped over and took the ring carefully in his two fingers and took her left hand and slowly the ring down on her fourth finger. With her right hand, she nervously brushed loose hair that hung down past her should and curtained around her face.

They both grinned as the ring fit perfectly on her thin finger and she looked up at him; glancing back and forth at the ring and his face. "Is this one way of asking me?" She asked with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"If you want it to be." He grinned leaning down to kiss her slowly.

She broke apart and looked up at his face. "Then yes." She said softly.

He arched an eyebrow with a grin. "Really?" He asked.

"Yes. I will marry you. That is if we actually succeed and neither of us dies, but if we do then I will marry you. I love you, John." She said with a smile.

He smiled and cupped a hand on her cheek; kissing her softly. She felt her feet leave the ground as he bent down and picked her up in his arms, princess style. She looked at her black-and-white converse feet then back at his face.

"Must you constantly pick me up?" She asked with a giggle.

He chuckled at her response. "Yes, you're much lighter than other women I've had to pick up." He said carrying her into one of the rooms.

"So you've picked up other women, huh? Should I be worried?" She joked with a smile.

He just laughed heartily at her and shook his head slightly. He kissed her forehead softly as she slid her leg up, causing the door to slowly close behind them.

**Sorry, I know the ending is kinda lame, but what did you think of it? And sorry it's taking me a while to update on it. Been so busy the past couple weeks; I haven't been able to sit down and write like I so desperately want to. Lol, maybe not desperately, but anyway. Thanks for reading and have an awesome day/night!**


	18. Chapter 18:Happy ReunionDeath of an OC

Melody sat at MacTavish's table almost a week later. Her hair was tousled and hung over her shoulder, curtaining her face. She wore MacTavish's old black T-shirt that hung below her shoulder some. The neck drooped halfway down her forearm. She wore her old cut off shorts touched her thighs. MacTavish had already seen her like this so she didn't care about worrying about covering her whole body like she did before. She sat there flipping through his journal (that she had managed to "borrow" when she awoke early while MacTavish was still asleep) with a grin on her face. She stopped at one that unnerved her some and also stopped because she had heard a door creak behind her. She turned and smiled at him as he came rubbing the back of his neck wearing his undershirt and pair of pajama bottoms. She placed his journal on her lap to hide it from him as he came over to her and kissed her forehead.

She tucked the journal underneath the shirt so it matched the black cover. "So, you sleep well?" She asked resting her chin on her fists with a grin.

"Yeah, but you didn't seem to. I heard you get up nearly three in the morning. Are you alright?" He asked leaning on the table and looking at her.

She slowly got up, acting as if she was straightening the back of her shirt as she tucked the small journal into her back pocket. "It's nothing, okay? I'm fine, I swear." She lied.

He just arched an eyebrow suspecting that she was lying. He sighed and stood up, walking towards her. He took her hands from her pockets and held them in his.

"I know you're keeping something from me, Mells. You might've been able to before, but you can't now. Now, tell me what's wrong. And that's an order." He said with a slight tugging at his lips.

She looked down at her feet then up at his face. "Ok, so I've been having the same nightmare for almost a week now. I haven't been able to sleep." She said hesitantly.

"And what was it about?" He pressed on, finger playing with the diamond on her finger.

She bit her bottom lips then answered him. "Well, it's just of us. I see myself, all dressed in white. And when I'm walking down the aisle, everything starts to turn grey and cold behind me. I turn to see as everyone around me disappears and I start to get worried. I look for you but you're gone. Then I see a pile of bodies around me. Of all our friends; I see Becca, Price, Dunn, Foley, Ramirez, Nikolai, my sister Krista, my mom and dad, and even Yuri. Then I see you. It's what hurts the most. Then I look down and I'm not wearing the dress anymore. Now, it's my usual combat gear and I'm holding an AK-47. And I know I had done it. I killed everyone that I loved or cared about. It was my entire fault." She said, tears forming in her eyes.

MacTavish stood there with a broken heart as he watched her begin to cry. He took his hands from hers then quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and stroked her hair; in means of comforting her. She continued to cry, but when she finally had stopped she looked up at his blue eyes.

"Melody, I promise you that will never happen. I know you couldn't, no wouldn't harm anyone on your side. I promise you that it's only a dream." He said stroking her cheekbone with his thumb.

She grinned and muttered an apology for crying like a baby. She wiped her cheeks with shaky fingers. "So, to get things off me; I was wondering…" She said putting on a smile as she reached in her back pocket and pulling out Soap's field journal and turning it to a particular page.

"Hey! How'd you get that?" He asked with a chuckle. He had made sure to put it somewhere she normally wouldn't find it. Under the bed side table. She wouldn't have found it if she wasn't looking for her charm bracelet that she had thrown it on the floor that night. She noticed something sticking out from under it and found her bracelet after that.

She smiled and wrinkled her nose playfully. "I got the nose for things _you_ keep hidden."

"Next time, I'm getting a lock and chain for my personal stuff." He joked.

She laughed once then found the page she was looking for. She turned it over, holding it with two fingers. She gave him a slight smug expression on her face and lips. "Did ya ever get bored?" She asked showing him a doodle he had drawn years ago when he was still recovering from the whole thing with Zakhaev in a hospital. He had drawn a picture of a nurse, posing with a stern "sexy" face. She would say that she was in some kind of playboy magazine. Soap then blushed a bright crimson and tried to retrieve the journal from her hands, but she dodged and took a step back.

"Give it back, Mells." He said with an embarrassed grin.

"Not until you answer my question, Johnny." She said with a giggle.

He sprinted over to grab the book from her hands but she then ran away from him. That soon broke out into a chase around the small room for the book. He kept chasing her around the kitchen and living room. He finally caught her when he jumped for her as she went for the kitchen. She let out a high-pitched squeal as they both began to fall on the ground, MacTavish even chuckling as she attempted to keep away from his prying fingers.

"Here, before you rip my shirt off. Again." She teased. She threw his journal from her back pocket- that she had placed before he started chasing her- and tried to get up from the ground.

"Thank you." He said with a smile.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. While on the floor, she craned her neck and kissed his lips. They were interrupted as Nikolai swung the door open; catching the two on the living room floor. His mouth was gaped open at first, in the middle of saying something then saw them and closed it shut. He arched an eyebrow.

"What are you two doing on the floor?" He asked.

Melody's cheeks grew red as they both turned to see who was at the door. She bit her lip as MacTavish tried to muffle his chuckle. "Oh you know, inventory?" She said arching an eyebrow nervously. She looked down at MacTavish and muttered under breath impatiently, 'Get off, get up!' They both jumped up from the ground, MacTavish trying to hide his laughter and Melody's cheek burning red. It didn't bother MacTavish because he had known Nikolai for years and wasn't embarrassed at the weird things that happened with him. Melody, on the other hand, was embarrassed as hell. She wasn't used to showing emotions in front of anyone except MacTavish and now with Nikolai catching them on the floor; she had no idea how to respond.

"Yeeaah. Well, Price wants you two in the briefing room, stat. We have information on our next mission." He said awkwardly.

"Thanks, Nikolai." She said giving him a nervous wave. She forgot about her ring on her hand (they had decided to keep it a secret for now because they didn't want anyone feeling sorry for them if something had happened to them) and her hand flew behind her back with an awkward smile.

He nodded once, shaking his head at the two.

Melody continued to grin as the door slowly closed. Her smile quickly shifted into a glare at MacTavish who then burst into uncontrollable laughter. She punched his arm hard in embarrassment.

"It's not funny, John." She said trying to hide her giggles.

"Yeah, because your grin convinces me it's not." He said cupping his finger under her chin lovingly.

She rolled her eyes and burst into laughter with him.

* * *

><p>Once Melody and MacTavish were fully dressed in long jeans and shirts, they met with the others in the briefing room. Melody wore her light gloves, hiding her ring. She was glad it was cold so she would have an excuse to wear them than her real excuse. Melody sat at one corner of the long table and propped her feet on the slick wooden table top.<p>

Price was in the middle of briefing them when they heard a slight knock on the door. Melody craned her neck back at it then over at MacTavish who just shrugged at her questioning expression.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention one little thing. We have some friends who are going to help us on this mission." Price said walking towards the door and opening it with a grin. The guests revealed to be Becca, Dunn, Foley, Ramirez, and one recruit Melody had remembered screaming at once, Pvt. James. Melody jumped from her chair and went immediately to her best friend. They squealed and hugged each other tightly. Dunn pretended to cover his ears with his fingers as he laughed at the two.

"Omigod! Becca, what are you guys doing here?" Melody asked happily.

"You didn't think we'd be doing all that training for nothing, did you!" Becca said, smile plastered on her face as she shook her friends arms excitedly.

They both laughed as the others greeted each other. Dunn whispering something to MacTavish about him and Melody finally a "bedroom escapade". He just punched him in the arm with a chuckle.

"So, where's Charlie at? Did you leave him with someone?" Melody asked happily. She was excited about seeing her little boy again.

Becca's –along with Dunn, Foley, and Ramirez- smile slowly faded into a sudden grief. "Melody… You won't be able to see Charlie again." Becca said sadly.

Melody arched an eyebrow; grin tugging slightly at her lips thinking they were kidding with her. "What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"Melody, I don't know how to say this, but… he passed away Melody. I'm so sorry." Becca said, tears glittering in her eyes.

Melody didn't know what to say. She still thought this was some kind of joke; a sick one now. "Is this some kind of joke, because if it is I'm not getting the amusing part of it?" Melody said sob stuck in her throat.

"Melody; sit down and let me explain. You see, a while after you left to go to New York, one of Makarov's men was following you. We don't really know him except that his name was Anatoly. He told Makarov of you and MacTavish and he learned about the army we were forming. He followed your tracks and somehow learned of our location. So when you, MacTavish, Yuri, and Price left to go to Africa, he came back with a heavily numbered squad and attacked the base. Makarov had tried to come and kill you, which I have no idea why he'd want specifically you, but when he found that you weren't there, he found Charlie. Well, I won't put into details of what he did, but Charlie was barely breathing when we came to get him after his men left. We tried to help, I swear we did, but he was so young and fragile that his heart just couldn't handle all the pain and medicine. Dunn, Foley, Ramirez, James, and I were the only ones that survived. I'm so, so sorry, Melody." Becca explained with tears running down her cheeks as she watched for Melody's reaction and reliving the awful memory. She wished she didn't have to tell her this, especially now.

Melody stood still, the only movement she made was her shoulders as they rose with her deep breathing and eyes that darted around her lap, as if her legs would give her some kind of explanation for all this and tell her it wasn't real. Tears ran down her cheeks and fell onto her lap; interrupting her thoughts. She slowly looked up at Becca who was just as sad. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and wrap protectively around her. She knew who it was by the sudden warmness she felt. MacTavish. She tried to swallow the pain and tears as she stood up and walked over to another side of the room and began messing with the computer, pulling off her glove for a moment as she let all of the recent news that had come so shockingly. Her left thumb played with the band of the ring for a second as she slid it back on, turning towards the others who stared at her with wary and pitiful eyes.

"Don't look at me like that. It's not like we could've done anything. I will always miss and love that little boy. He was my son. Maybe now he's finally peaceful and with his real family. Maybe his real mother could give him the love and attention he deserves now. Heaven only knows how hard I had tried to be a mother for him, but I guess I wasn't meant for that. Anyway, I'm going to go prep for our next mission. Please, don't follow." She said immediately bolting for the back door.

MacTavish stood there. He knew he should follow her; she was his fiancée (for now). But he knew she would much rather be left alone to go through this as she always did. While some people wanted friends or family around when they were going through a devastating tragedy, Melody preferred to be left alone to mourn for whatever the tragedy was –Charlie's death being that precise tragedy- and dig out a way to go through this. If there was a way.

After thirty or so minutes alone, she heard the shuffle of feet come behind her. She wiped her cheeks while her shoulders continued to throb with sobs. "Becca, I know you're just trying to make me feel better but I'd much rather prefer to be left alone." She said in a shaky voice.

"Now, why would I leave my almost-wife alone in a time like this?" She heard MacTavish's voice from behind her.

She spun around, hand cupped around her throat as the voice had scared her. She was expecting her friend to come out and try and cheer her up instead of MacTavish. He knew to stay away; she didn't.

"What are you doing? I thought you knew I liked being alone." She said wiping more tears from her jaw with the back of her gloved hand.

He took her hands and slid the gloves from them. Her hands were surprisingly cold as he took them in both of his, feeling the diamond against his skin as he tried to warm them. Melody couldn't hold it anymore and fell to her knees. She felt like she didn't deserve all this. Her friends that were concerned if she was alright and team mates who cared about her. She especially felt like she didn't deserve MacTavish. She wrapped her slightly warm hands around his neck and began crying on his chest, creating a dark damp spot on the light green fabric. He stroked her hair and kissed her head and forehead as she continued to let out choked sob-filled breaths and mumble.

"I'm so sorry, Charlie. It's all my fault!" Or, "I never should've gone to New York without orders."

MacTavish tried to reassure her and tell her it wasn't her fault and hold her as if she was a small child. He lifted her up onto his lap and began to carry her somewhere else because he knew how much she hated crying in front of someone –some of Nikolai's men had begun sneaking peeks at her and the scene she was causing-. MacTavish took her back into her room where she continued to mourn for her little Charlie as a song played from her Mp3 player that was still hooked up to the radio.

_Fly, fly little wing  
>Fly beyond imagining<br>The softest cloud, the whitest dove  
>Upon the wind of heaven's love<br>Past the planets and the stars  
>Leave this lonely world of ours<br>Escape the sorrow and the pain  
>And fly again<em>

_Fly, fly precious one_  
><em>Your endless journey has begun<em>  
><em>Take your gentle happiness<em>  
><em>Far too beautiful for this<em>  
><em>Cross over to the other shore<em>  
><em>There is peace forevermore<em>  
><em>But hold this mem'ry bittersweet<em>  
><em>Until we meet<em>

_Fly, fly do not fear_  
><em>Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear<em>  
><em>Your heart is pure, your soul is free<em>  
><em>Be on your way, don't wait for me<em>  
><em>Above the universe you'll climb<em>  
><em>On beyond the hands of time<em>  
><em>The moon will rise, the sun will set<em>  
><em>But I won't forget<em>

_Fly, fly little wing_  
><em>Fly where only angels sing<em>  
><em>Fly away, the time is right<em>  
><em>Go now, find the light<em>

_**So what do you think of this chapter? I know it probably sucks but I realized that I had literally left behind the characters in the first chapters and I didn't want to do that. I know that killing Charlie wasn't the happiest (or nicest) way of doing that but I guess you can say its realisitc? Because sometimes reality sucks:P lol But, feel free to leave me some feedback like review or something. Have a nice day/night! **_


	19. Chapter 19:Eye of the Storm and big news

Melody sat there, waiting for Soap as she dried sticky tears from her face. It had been almost two months since she learned of Charlie's death, but she still cried when she was alone and at night when she tried to sleep. Though she'd always push him away and claim that she was fine, Soap tried to comfort her during the time but she would never give him a chance. The days were spent with training, preparing for the mission to Prague and choosing the artillery and deciding how they should make their entrance. Soap had been with Yuri and Price while she had taken a day off since her feet were aching and she felt nauseous that morning. Melody wore her usual pajama bottoms and loose and long sleeping shirt with the picture of two bears on the front, with the word in bold glittering letters, 'BEARS'. Her hair stuck to her forehead slightly as she brushed her hair back from her face with her left hand. She had made her a bowl of oatmeal which she had found strange since she wasn't really fond of the lumpy food. She stared at it, thoughts heavy and clouding her mind. As she continued to stir it around with her spoon, she felt something churn in her stomach. Once she felt her stomach in her throat she jumped out of her chair and bolted towards the bathroom, her rapid bare feet sprinting on the tiled floor making the only sound in the quiet room. She threw open the white door and fell to her knees with a thud. Once she released the sudden vomit from her system she scooted away from the toilet and leaned against the bathroom wall with a pale face.

"Ugh, I hate being sick!" She moaned under her breath.

As she sat there for a minute, making sure she wasn't going to be sick again, a sudden thought popped into her mind; the date. Her eyes slightly widened as she started to count off the days on her fingers. She furrowed her eyebrows as she began to think of her last monthly cycle.

'I'm not late, of course not… Right?' She thought as she heard the door in the distant close with a click. She then slowly stood up and began to brush her teeth to get the smell from her mouth. Her face was still pale and her hands shook lightly as she walked out to meet Soap in the living room. She knew he'd be there because every time he came back from training or mission preparation he found a seat in the living room. She turned the corner and leaned against the doorway, hand on her forehead as she took in the smell of a strong cigar odor. She gagged at the smell which made both she and MacTavish furrow their eyebrows. The smell hadn't bothered her ever before.

"Babe, are you alright?" He asked sitting up and walking towards her.

She forced a grin as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yeah, perfect, even." She said with a fake smile.

He wasn't convinced. He placed a hand on her forehead, pulling loose hair back. She swatted his hand away. "I'm not sick, John!" She said loudly, nearly yelling.

He took a step back, shocked at her sudden anger. She didn't understand why she felt so angry and cranky all of a sudden. She furrowed her eyebrows, and then growled under her breath as she felt her stomach come back to her throat as she breathed in the cigar scent of his clothes. She pushed him away and bolted back towards the bathroom. Soap followed her and found her stretched over the toilet. He sighed at her pale face as she waved him away; telling him to leave and that she didn't want him seeing her like this.

"Melody, I don't think you're fine. C'mon." He said sitting down beside her and wiping away the sweat balling on her forehead. She leaned into his cold fingers as he wrapped his arms around her waist and under her legs and pulled her carefully onto his lap. She placed her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his fingers around her fingers, pulling her left hand up with his to look at their fingers and steal a glance at the ring still placed on her fourth finger. He smiled at the diamond then looked down at her face. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it with a pop as he saw her eyes closed and her peaceful face. She hadn't really slept real well in the past months because of her nightmares. He smiled at her face and slowly and carefully stood up and began to walk her into their room. He wondered what was going on in her head and exactly what she was dreaming that woke her in the middle of the night and make her break into tears. He placed her on the bed and tucked the covers around her form. He chuckled as she wrapped an arm tighter against his neck. He slowly lay down beside her as she grinned slightly. He tucked himself closer beside her as she leaned forward for his chest and placed her left hand atop his right. He kissed her forehead, cheeks, and softly pecked her lips as she drifted off into a deeper sleep. He found himself staring into the back of his eyelids with her as he continued to watch her shoulders fall peacefully.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days Later<strong>:

Soap and Price sat on a curved cement walk in the opened sewer. Price puffed on his cigar a couple times before Soap leaned across the opening and looked upon the dock meters ahead of them.

"Welcome to Prague, gents." Price said with a smirk.

"The resistance is expecting us half a click to the North." Soap said leaning over the concave cement wall and glancing at the two men beside him. He was on the edge of his nerves because he couldn't get Melody off his mind and what she had told him last night when she woke in the middle of the night. He hated that they were always spilt up in two separate teams. He was still worried about her health.

Price sighed and removed the cigar from his lips. "Let's get this over with." He said flicking the cigar into the sewer water beneath them.

Then the three of them jumped into the sewer water and moved out towards the boardwalks. Price stops them by lifting a hand.

"Hold up." He says quietly.

Soap looked out on the boardwalks to see two or more handfuls of Russian squads; with crying and begging civilians laying or sitting on their knees, eyes wide and glossy with terrified tears. "They've already taken prisoners. They're moving fast." He said. He was glad Melody wasn't here to see them like this. Considering how strange she had been acting likely, this would set her off easily.

"We need to be faster. Keep it tight, lads. Use the boats for cover." Price said as they began to move out towards the boardwalks, lightning flashing on the water. Soap felt as though Price's last saying –about keeping it tight- might have been aimed at him. Price could definitely tell a change in his young friend. He was suspicious, but considered it was nothing important.

"Move under the docks. The storm will keep us quiet." Price said as his thoughts about Soap and his behavior faded away.

The dip under the docks, removing their selves from the Russians view and continue to move out towards the North under their feet. They then hear some rapid speech before loud bullets releasing from a gun silenced the woman and the man's tongue. Soap was even gladder that Melody wasn't there. He hated to think of her anywhere near this. But he guessed he'd have to. She wasn't just given her title of Captain with her looks.

"Easy… Let them pass." Price says as they hold their position away from the large hole in the dock as two Russians casually walk away from the scene; as if they hadn't just spilled innocent blood.

"Ok… Go… This way." Price then says as they continue towards the exit of the boardwalks. They pass floating bodies in their way which they easily avoid coming in contact with. Once they're past the docks and the bodies, they find themselves back at another sewer where the Czech Resistance is. Led by none other than their old comrade Sgt. Kamarov. Soap looked up to see Melody; her hair was braided into a long braid loosely down her back and some loose strands hung down her face. Her nose was slightly pink with the cool, rainy air. She wore the same black pants, a black tactical jacket, and a chest rig like Soap's and Kamarov's men. He grinned at her wary face, reassuring her that they were fine. She grinned back, showing off her straight, spotless white teeth.

"What took you so long?" Kamarov asked extending his hand for the men.

Soap scoffed as he turned to Melody when he climbed up the platform. Her gloved hand squeezed his lovingly as he turned towards Kamarov; slightly leaning towards Melody, wishing he could be with her during the whole mission. But she was going with Price and meeting with Becca and the others on the other side.

"Your Intel was off, Kamarov. You said this area would be clear." Soap said icy blue eyes staring into the man's warm brown eyes.

"I'm sure it was nothing you couldn't handle. Do you know what had to be done to get you this far?" Kamarov replied. Two other men, along with Kamarov, turned to give Melody a look.

She cowered slightly into Soap's shoulder. "Hey! I told you that if that stupid parrot at the square wouldn't shut the hell up, I was turning its squawky ass into chicken!" She said pointing a gloved finger at him defensively.

Soap chuckled at the woman as Price turned to the group. "Enough chit-chat. Soap, Yuri, best get on your way. We'll meet you at the rally point." Price said standing towards Melody who chose her weapon and stepped away from Soap to follow Price. Soap nodded once and kissed the woman's cold cheek quickly, causing her to gasp quietly, creating an echo in the small dark sewer cavern.

"Let's go, Yuri." Soap said taking his gun from his back and began jogging down the cement walkway.

Melody grinned at the man with a loving twinkle in her eye as Soap disappeared with Yuri. She sighed softly and turned towards Price who eyed her with a grin.

"C'mon, Melody. You can gawk at Soap later." Price said tapping her forearm with a smirk.

Melody blushed a deep crimson and turned towards the other direction with Price, pushing through a group of Kamarov's men. "I do not gawk at him." She said rounding up to his shoulder with a smile.

She heard him scoff at her reply and they began to pick up on their route.

* * *

><p>Melody sat on one knee with her gun to her cheek. She aimed down the sniper's scope and her finger twitched over the trigger as she waited for Price's orders to take out the guard on the roof.<p>

"Alright… do it." Price slowly said, buzzing in her earpiece.

Her lips twitched in a grin and she pressed her finger against the trigger, sending a bullet flying across the wind and penetrating the man's skull. She did the same with the other on the opposite side of the balcony. Once the area was announced as clear, Melody slid down the rooftop and caused Becca to jump as Melody hopped down suddenly beside her. She smiled at her friend then looked at Price. The seven of them, along with Kamarov and his men stood around separating parts of Kamarov's men with Price's small team. Melody and Becca stayed with Price and a large part of Kamarov's men.

"Where are we supposed to meet Soap and Yuri?" Melody asked.

"We should see them in square in the West. That is, if everything goes as planned." Price said looking at the girl's clear brown eyes.

She looked down at her hands for a second trying to shake off the worried thoughts that made her think of the worst for her secret fiancée and her new friend Yuri. She slowly looked back up at him and gave him a small nod.

Almost an hour later Becca and Melody were perched on a balcony watching the movement of their small squad. As they sat there Melody began to talk with her old friend, which she hadn't done very much since she learned of Charlie's death.

"Becca, I need to tell you something. But you have to promise me you won't tell anyone. Don't even write it down in your journal." Melody said in a quiet stern voice, never moving her eyes from the men below.

"Yeah, of course." She paused glancing at her friend's face which was paler than it should be in the cool air. "Mells, are you alright?" She continued with a wary tone.

"Yeah. It's just that. Well, this may sound unbelievable, I mean even I can hardly believe it. But, what I'm trying to say is." She hesitated as she took in a deep breath as she blurted out her next thought as she released the breath she held.

"Becca I think I'm pregnant." She huffed out, hoping that Becca hadn't caught it. But she did.

"What? How? Well, I know how and I don't really want to think about you and Soap that way, but…" She paused as she swung her head in Melody's direction, red hair looking like a flame whipping in the wind as she then glared slightly at the woman beside her.

"Then what the _bloody hell_ are you doing here!" She then demanded; she sounded more like her father when she was angry.

Her mouth opened to say something, but she couldn't find any words. Her hand flew to her mouth as she heard Price's voice in her ear; chocolate eyes as wide as saucers.

"Melody, I think we've met some new friends. You and Becca get down here fast. We're nearing our location anyway." He commanded.

When Melody didn't answer, Becca took over and placed a finger on her earpiece with a shocked face, much like Melody's. "Yeah, got it. See you there." She said in one breath.

Before he could say anything about her peculiar behavior, Becca ripped the earpiece from her ear for now.

"C'mon, you have a shit load of explaining to do, Melody Marie." Becca said.

Melody felt as though she was with Margaret again when she had that "talk". Melody shivered by just thinking about having any kind of conversation like that with Becca; who she considered to be some of nun by the way she never showed any interest in dating of any sort. Well, that she knew of.

* * *

><p>Soap and Yuri climb over a steel fence by climbing over a dumpster and land back on their feet. As they touch ground again, Soap spots a guard walking right in front of them. The guard turns slightly and sees them, but before he can make any sort of alarm, Soap pulls out his silenced pistol on his hip and quickly fires at him, killing him instantly. He dashed out and took the guard's falling body in his arms and drug him over into the corner so no one would spot his body.<p>

"Good night." He muttered under his breath.

Soap motioned for Yuri to move up behind him and they then near the street to the square. Soap barely stuck his head out to see onto the street and he spotted a large number of hostiles ahead and a helicopter hovering over them that is lowering a BTR in the square.

"Hold up. Twenty plus on foot, and they're bringing in armor." Soap whispered.

"Soap, what's your status?" Price's voice came from his ear.

"In position, but there's a bloody army in front of us." Soap advised.

There was a silence before Price then replied. "We're coming from the West. Watch your fire." He said as he ended the small exchange.

"Roger." Soap mumbled then began to move towards the small fence in front of them ducked underneath, hiding themselves from the hostiles view. A small red beam caught his eye as he looked up to see two men on the roof, one with a laser pointer attached to his sniper.

"Scout on the rooftop. Take care of him." Soap said looking over at Yuri.

Yuri nodded and aimed up at the two on the roof then hesitates his finger from touching the trigger as he sees one of the men then fall over dead and another man come out suddenly and stabbed the scout and let his body fall lightly against the rooftop. Soap saw it also and scoffed with a grin on his lips.

"Nice timing, old man. Well, one's down, mate, but we've got four men and they've got dozens." Soap says looking out at the group of hostiles.

Price's lips turn into a grin as he stands on the rooftop beside Kamarov. "Don't worry. I've brought some friends." He said.

Then a dozens of men appeared around him on the rooftop. Soap immediately noticed Melody since she was the smallest out of them, besides Becca who stood between Dunn and Foley, and because of her long messy hair that hung over her shoulder and swayed in the light breeze. He grinned up at her then turned to Yuri.

Some Resistance members hid in the windows of the surrounding buildings and immediately began firing at the Russian squad below them. They watch as someone's hits the helicopter causing it to spin and crash, dropping and destroying the BTR. Yuri grinned with Soap and then they stood as more rebels came through doors and the small quiet scene was then turned into a loud battlefield.

"Move with the rebels and get to the church. We'll cover you as best as we can!" Price then yelled in Soap's ear.

Soap quickly looked at the rooftops, seeing his friends begin to sprint across the rooftop, ducking for cover and returning fire at the Russians below them. He spotted Melody as she quickly spun behind cover, dodging a flying RPG rocket then spinning right back out with her gun in her hand. She then power-slid to the cover she wanted to take and began firing upon the Russians. He smiled at the woman. He loved her show-off character. He then remembered that Price had ordered him something to do and let the smile slowly fade from his lips and set his mind back on the mission.

"Copy that! Yuri, let's go! Moving up to the statue, cover me!" Soap yelled back then looked over at his comrade.

**Sorry, I know it kinda sucks, but I was trying to update this fast for you guys and still have it good:) But anyway feel free to review and give me some feedback. Thanks for reading and have a nice day/night:)**


	20. Chapter 20: The Price of Freedom

**Five Minutes Later:**

Soap and Yuri continued to move through the streets of a nearly destroyed Prague. It seemed to the two that wherever they set foot in turned to ashes before them. Strange. They had just made it through the square by taking out enemy Helos and many other hostiles that tended to pop up in every corner. They had gone through the town and eliminating any enemy sightings they saw and were now taking cover inside a building through the window. Everyone was moving to the church building across town and it seemed every minute was like an hour. Melody and Becca had made it back to the church; Melody taking the rooftops and nearly killing herself when she jumped onto a weak structure barely able to grab ahold of something before she fell sixty feet to the hard cement streets beneath her. Becca took the somewhat easier way with Dunn and Price. Foley, Ramirez, and James took another route and were nearly there, that is if anything didn't go wrong like the seemed to. Soap and Yuri were walking through the halls of the tall, explosion-damaged, building and came into one room. Soap stuck his head out and saw more hostiles ahead of him. He sighed and turned to Yuri.

"No getting past these guys quietly. Wait for my go." He said, bringing up his gun tight on his chest.

They watch as a group of Russians come walking casually into the room and as they do, Soap slowly looked back at Yuri, icy eyes illuminating in the dark room.

"Alright, smoke 'em." He ordered.

They both step out from the wall they hid behind and began firing on the Russians. They easily take them out and begin pushing on to the church.

"No time to clean up the mess. Let's move; we'll improvise if we have to." Soap said uncertain of the events that were to come.

Yuri nodded once and they both climbed from one window of the old abandoned store and out onto the streets once more. They were then met with Resistance soldiers running from their left, firing at every Russian they laid their eyes on. Soap scoffs at them happily and they begin to help the soldiers fire on the hostiles and continue pushing through. As he fired at one scout on the rooftops who were taking out many of the Resistance soldiers, he heard a distant rumble and turned to see two BTRs come rolling up on the street. He grabbed Yuri's shoulder and he immediately starts moving from their line of sight. They lay there, in prone, and watch as more of the Resistance soldiers are killed by the BTRs and continue rolling through the streets, taking out any opposing person that comes in view. Soap kept his eyes on the two vehicles then calls out to Yuri as the area is clear.

"Let's go!" He called out.

They cross the street and feel some of the tension slightly roll of their backs as they see the tall steeple of the church. When inside, Soap sees Melody sitting on a table with someone checking her arm and right leg. She was wincing and telling them to watch where they put their hands on under her breath. Soap didn't get to really come over and talk to her, but he did happen to look at her the same time she saw him. They exchanged a look that held a million words. Becca looked over at Melody then at Soap. She grinned at the two men. Dunn sat beside her, holding his head in his hands then looked up as Becca elbowed him in the ribs, motioning to get ready. Dunn looked over at her and saw her wary, pale face. She was worrying about her friend and the possibility that she was carrying a child and what could easily happen to her that would threaten the child's life. He gave her a sympathetic look and hesitantly placed his hand over hers and squeezed reassuringly. He didn't know what was troubling her so much, but he felt a strange uneasiness and wary spirit rise up in him as he saw his friend so, well, terrified. It honestly scared him to think that he never wanted to see that look on her face because he had never felt so strongly about her or any of his team mates in that matter.

Becca gasped silently as she felt his warm hand on top of her cold hand. She looked at her hand then slowly looked up at Dunn's face. Her light blue eyes searched his darker blue.

"They're going to be fine." He said softly, trying to calm her nerves and thoughts.

She let out a small breath and nodded twice to try and show him that she was fine, but it didn't help any. Her cheeks reddened as she felt a small sliver of tears escape her eyelid and fall down her burning cheek. Dunn almost felt broken seeing the woman so terrified. He hesitantly placed an arm around her shoulders and reassuringly rubbed her back.

Melody stole a glance away from Soap's face to see her best friend practically in Dunn's arms. She felt a slow and deliberate smile pull at her lips at the sight. At least her friend would have someone to go to if something were to happen to her. She just prayed that her beloved "Scotland" would have someone also. She couldn't, check that, refused to think of her absence causing him so much pain. She honestly hoped that if someone were to die in the midst of this, it would be her for she couldn't imagine the pain she would feel if anything happened to him.

The whole team seemed to fear some hidden nightmare as they all sat in the destroyed sanctuary of the worn-down church building. Even Foley and Yuri had a deeply hidden fear as they looked around them. After a moment or two, Soap let out a sigh and placed a finger slowly to his ear.

"Price, we're in position." He said letting out a breath.

"Copy. Tell Melody and Yuri to get comfortable. We've got a few hours until the meeting." Soap said.

"You got it, mate." He said ending their conversation then turned to Melody who was wrapping her torn sleeve around her arm and stood beside Yuri.

"Yuri, Melody, better go get set up. We only have a few hours until Makarov will be at Hotel Lustig for the meeting." He said looking between the two soldier's faces.

Yuri nodded once and Melody reached over and grabbed a sniper and her favorite pistol and followed behind Yuri who began climbing up to the roof. He sat there for a second, waiting for Melody to join him. As she passed Soap, –hesitant to look at his face- he quickly reached out and gripped her forearm in his tight grip.

She turned to look at him with a shocked expression. She looked at his icy eyes with her brown, trying to find some emotion she knew he was hiding from her and the others.

"…And please, be careful." He said softly, directly to her.

Melody just continued to look at him. She knew she couldn't say that she was because it didn't matter how careful you were, it's about what the enemy will do while you're watching your own back. But she knew she couldn't say that to him; just seeing the hurt look in his eyes made her heart break. She quickly glanced down lower stomach as she felt something move inside her as she thought this and looked into the man's eyes. The movement had taken her train of thought completely and at that moment she knew what was inside her. It was just some simple stomach virus or a sickness. All the nightmares she was having, the sudden change in emotion by the slightest things, the way smells and food made her so sick, and her being late. She _was pregnant_. There was no denying it now. She didn't know what to do. What she wanted to do was just disappear and disappear with MacTavish. Get as far away from this place as possible and try to find her mother and sister. But at the moment, her feet were glued to floor and it was like she was part of the building; not a person who had a very important job to do. It wasn't until she heard Yuri's voice behind did she snap back to reality.

"Johnston, are you coming today?" He asked slightly impatient.

Melody shook her head slightly and turned to him. "Yeah, of course." She said in a shaky voice. "Let's go bust us a bastard." She said trying to lighten the tension with a light joke.

He grinned at her as she walked over to him and offered a hand. She took it and began climbing up to the roof to begin set up.

Melody had barely fallen asleep in the endless wait for Makarov to arrive so she could finally end him and his reign of terror upon both America and other nations. Melody sat there with her hands folded across her stomach, secretly feeling the small '_thump thump thump' _of her child's heartbeat. She smiled at the small beat, thinking of the father, MacTavish. It soothed her to feel the beat as it would if it were Soap. A small uncontrolled, 'girly' part of her was considering names for the unexpected child. John, of course, after his father and Jamie Lynn if was a girl. You may find the name strange, but she had known Jamie was MacTavish's mother's first name and Lynn his grandmother's first name. She wanted her child to hold something of his father's no matter what happened. Melody's thought were interrupted as Price's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. He had asked if they were still alive up there. Melody scoffed and placed a finger on her ear.

"Sorry, Price. You're stuck with me. Which vehicle will he be in?" She asked.

Yuri answered her question and she kept a finger hovering around her ear as she turned to look at him.

"They constantly rotate for security. We won't know until he steps out." He said glancing over at her as he glared into the window of the hotel.

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly as she heard MacTavish's voice ring in her ear.

"You seem to know a lot about Makarov…" He said a little darkly.

Melody placed a hand on her stomach lovingly as she felt her little boy or girl inside her move at the sound of his voice. She grinned at thinking that he was just as happy to hear MacTavish's voice as she was. As she felt him move once again, she then began to think of MacTavish and what she was going to say when she had to tell him about this. It was an obvious fact that she was going to show, but she was more worried at his reaction to the news. She decided to think about later when, and if she were to succeed, and finally eliminate Makarov. Another hour or so had passed and Melody had entertained herself by guessing what the baby would look like and continuously drumming her fingers against her gun. She guessed and hoped that he would look mainly like MacTavish, boy or girl. Her happy thoughts were once again interrupted as Yuri practically slammed his hand against her drumming fingers.

She looked down at her hand then back at him. She arched an eyebrow slightly. "Sorry." She muttered and slid her hand back down to her side which uncontrollably rose to her stomach.

Yuri eyed the strange woman and he noticed that she continually placed a hand on her stomach.

Almost another hour passed. Hour after hour they sat there waiting for Makarov to show but it seemed the bastard was never showing his face. The current situation made her think of some sitcom on television. The ones where'd each hour that passed they faded into a different position, never finding one place comfortable enough to wait in. At first, Melody sat on her knees then she switched to her legs casually placed beside her as she leaned back against the wall, slightly banging her head against it in aggravation. The next she had crossed her legs and rested her chin on her fist as her eyelids drooped with each passing, late hour. The next position, after she had awakened from her unknown sleep, she propped her legs up against the wall and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Now, she took her first position back as she held her RSASS sniper in her hands.

"Alpha One, radio check, over." Melody heard as Price's voice broke the awkward silence between the two.

She placed her finger to her earpiece with a bored expression. They had already done this hours before and the first time they had set up there. "Bravo One, copy. We're dug in with line of sight." She said casually looked at her gloved hands which nothing was wrong with them. She then saw four large vehicles pull in the front of the large hotel building. She shifted her position to an easier position so her aim would be perfect. She reached over and grabbed ammo for both of their guns.

"Right. Kamarov's our eyes and ears inside the hotel. Once he gives us the nod, we'll kick this off. What do you see?" Price said as Melody began to load her gun.

She looked over at the hotel and saw the guards around the vehicles. Melody scoffed. "Bugger-all. Looks like Makarov's late for his own funeral." She said.

"Sit tight until we can get a clean shot. Then you can put as many rounds on him as you like." Price said to the anxious woman.

She felt a grin pull at her lips. She thought of how glorious it would be to take him out once and for all. Finally, she would feel that her friends, Ronan, Steven, Shaun, and Mallory and everyone else she had lost to him; including the friends that MacTavish had lost to this blood-thirsty monster. She thought of how wonderful it would feel to watch his blood splatter against the window or wherever she was to kill him. Watch the blood pour like he had with many innocent lives. She thought of the gas bomb in London and how they had found some evidence of a camera that somehow survived the blast. Makarov put an end to so many innocent lives, including a small child and who knows how many young lives were lost to this. She couldn't wait to avenge all those who were victims of Makarov. Couldn't wait to finally avenge Charlie. Bastard was going to die this time whether anyone liked it or not.

"It'll only take one." Melody said menacingly.

Melody sits there looking out onto the building and seeing the men look around the vehicles, her brown eyes that burned with vengeance scanned each window in search of Makarov. She then looked down and locked her RSASS ready then turned to Yuri who was loading a sniper round into his magazine.

"It's almost time Yuri. The meeting will be on the second floor." She advised then turned outside and placed her gun upon the edge of the hole in the wall and aimed down the scope. He followed her motions. He aimed down the scope and began to look at the convoy below them in front of the hotel with her. She watched as four vehicles pulled in and stopped as guards came to the vehicles. Melody knew he had to be in there, she could almost feel it.

"Heads up. Makarov's convoy is arriving now." Price said from the top of the hotel building, slightly leaning over to look below him.

Melody nodded once to herself. "I see it. Four armored vehicles; no visual on Makarov yet." She advised taking in a quiet breath.

They watched as the vehicles continued to move on slowly with the BTRs following behind him. Melody couldn't help but wonder if he knew they were here. He couldn't have known. The only ones who knew were herself, Yuri, Soap, Price and the rest of the squad. Melody knew that none of them had told a soul because they haven't been apart since they learned they were going to attempt to assassinate Makarov. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly as she watched the slow moving vehicles come to another stop.

"They're stopping in front of the hotel." Melody advised looking out from her scope then back in.

There was a pause between the two as they watched one of the guards come to one vehicle and stop at the window. He appeared to be talking to whoever was inside. As the guard moved aside, she saw his head then his face. Makarov was here. A snarl pulled at her lips and it took all the self-control she had to not start firing at the bastard. She knew she would miss anyway considering her boiled anger.

"Do you see him?" Price asked after a minute.

Melody chuckled a dark laugh before answering him. "Yeah. There's the bastard; third vehicle." She said adding a sting of venom on the words.

She looked down her scope and into the vehicle window. She could see his scarred face and jet black hair sticking out. The most noticeable thing about him would have to the green and blue eyes. Although, they looked blue from afar but since she knew this man, well not really a man but she just went with calling it that for now, for years. Why he had been hunting her and why she was at the top of his list to kill amongst Soap and Price. She had kept it a secret from everyone exactly why, saying that she did something that would make anyone want to kill her. Well everyone except Soap the other night. She remembered seeing his shocked face. That night she had her first real fight with him, she was surprised that hadn't awoken anyone because of the yelling and screaming. Not to mention, when she stormed out from the room and had gone out for a walk, trying to get out of her old and feared emotions. She knew what was coming. That old emotion of anger and fear boiling inside her is what made her go to all the psychiatrists and the constant mental facilities when she was young. Thankfully, she had learned to control that emotion and they had diagnosed her as; well, sane from then on. Every now and then she felt it try to resurface and give her old temptations. Mainly, would it really hurt anybody? Surely not, they deserved it, right? Or, we all know how thrilling it is to just hurt that one person in your life brutally. Like she had done to Darren. She grinned deviously at the memory and how she had hospitalized him for months. Bastard deserved every blow to the face with her metal bat that she had given him. She repressed the sudden urge to chuckle since she remembered why she was even there. Her grin faded and her heart had skipped a beat. She felt her baby move uncomfortably at her sudden tension and wariness as she looked at the face of Makarov once more. She could've sworn that he was staring up at her with what could've been a devious grin. Melody swallowed back her fear and placed a hand on her stomach.

'We're doing this for you, baby.' She thought feeling the thumps of the heart. She grinned at the feeling and went back to focusing on the mission. She was glad Yuri was too busy looking down at Makarov from the scope to see her grins and strange devious faces. She looked down hers to see two eyes staring up at her.

"Shit! I think he's looking right at us." She said with a growl.

Price could feel her uneasiness and impatience in the words and he knew what she must have been feeling at the moment. "Easy. Just sit tight." He said in soft commanding tone.

She pursed her lips at him and tried to calm down. 'Damn memories.' She thought.

She watched them as they began to move again and slowly drove away from the front of the hotel and towards a garage whose door began opening slowly for their arrival.

"They're pulling into the garage now." Melody advised.

Another pause was between them as they both watched the vehicles pull in and watched the BTRs pull into another space reserved for them. When all the vehicles were removed from sight, Price positioned himself further out from his hiding spot. He looked below him then placed a finger on his ear.

"Alright, Kamarov. You're up." He said.

They waited a moment but heard no reply from the man. Yuri arched an eyebrow from beneath his scope.

"Kamarov, do you read me?" Price then asked again.

There wasn't a reply back and the three waited for the gruff voice to come ringing in their ears. Melody furrowed in confusion as the wait for his voice was too long. Melody began to worry about the Loyalist as she heard Soap's voice from below with the Resistance hover in her ear.

"Probably forgot to switch it on." He scoffed.

"Doesn't matter. Makarov 's here; we move forward with the plan." Price said in an impatient tone.

Melody shook off the uneasiness of why Kamarov hadn't replied back to Price even though he had tried to contact him twice. Melody didn't really know the man so she thought that someone in command couldn't forget to switch on his earpiece.

"I'm in position, ready?" Price asked.

Melody aimed up towards the top of the hotel and found Price sitting on knee beside a statue. He tied a rope somewhere behind him then waited for Yuri to find him on the scope so he would have full cover. She looked over at Yuri who seemed to be having a hard time finding the man on his scope.

"Yuri, find Price in your scope. He's on the top of the hotel." Melody helped, glancing over at him from under her scope.

He then nodded once and aimed the gun up towards the top of the building and found Price flashing the beam of a flashlight to signal where he was for Yuri. Once he knew that they both were covering him, he stepped back and placed the flashlight back on his vest and tightened the rope behind him. He grabbed hold on the rope with a firm grip and looked below him then began to repel slowly down towards the large clock on the building. Melody zoomed out to fully check his surroundings.

"We got some activity on the balcony." She advised as he passed the clock and slowed to a stop feet above the balcony below him.

"We'll take them out together, Yuri. On you." Melody said waiting for his shot to begin. He then aimed down at the pacing men on the balcony and then a shot was heard and one man flew off his feet as the bullet penetrated his head. Then it was continuous reign of unsuppressed sniper bullets until every man on the balconies vanished.

Price then continued to repel down until he touched the balcony below. He then reached out and removed the long sheet that blinded the windows and then he could see a large group of men standing in the room. He pulled out his gun quickly and began to run to cover behind a turned over desk. Melody and Yuri provided sniper support for him. When the area was cleared, Price stood up at the ready as he heard a ding from the elevator ahead of him. Melody's finger hovered over the trigger as she waited for the doors to open and more men would come out, but was surprised to find just one man sitting on a chair.

"What the hell…? Price who is that?" She asked.

"Kamarov." He said in a wary tone.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the red flashing on bombs on his chest and legs. 'Oh crap.' She thought.

Just as she had thought this they could all hear Kamarov's sorrowful voice in their ears. "I'm sorry Price." He said; he sounded almost sad as if he was hiding tears. That made her want to burst into tears because she knew what was going to happen at that moment. She was right; Makarov had seen her in church tower and had somehow known of their attempted assassination and was again one step ahead of them. She cursed in her thoughts as another came into her mind. Her eyes widened and she quickly yelled at Price through the earpiece. She watched as Price took slow steps towards Kamarov, trying to get a full vision of what was on his chest.

"Price! Get out of there!" Melody screamed.

But just as she did, he jumped back a step and began bolting towards the exit. They all stopped as they heard Makarov's voice come creep into their ears. She now knew why Kamarov hadn't replied to Price before. It was so clear now. She pitied the man inside and wondered how Soap and Price were feeling now; they had to know that there was no way to save Kamarov.

"Melody. Вас ждет ад (Hell awaits you)." He said.

Melody's heart then sped into a fluttering beat as she then saw a loud and crashing explosion come from the building.

"Yuri, my friend. You never should have come here." Melody furrowed her eyebrows at Makarov's words.

"What the hell is he talking about?" She demanded, turning towards him with a half betrayed and half confused look on her face. She was interrupted a light beeping come from behind her. Her eyes widened and she quickly threw her gun aside and lunged for Yuri.

"Get out! Now!" She screamed and took ahold of his shoulder and sent him flying out the window with her. Her arms flew around her stomach in fear as she was quickly met with a hard board panel. They crashed through that and met many more as they fell the many feet to the cement ground below. She heard a strange gurgling shriek come from somewhere and realized it was her own tortured scream as she felt something rip in her upper abdomen and up her spine. She was suddenly out of breath and she saw the large blood stains on her fingers.

'No, no no no.' she frantically thought as she pressed her hands against her stomach. The baby, what happened to him now? Was he alright? She prayed that nothing had hurt him as she crashed through each of the panels leading to the hard smack of the sidewalk as it busted her lip and made her lie there, unconscious and unmoving as she then began to bleed which created a puddle around her.


	21. Even if saving you sends me to Heaven

Melody and Yuri had lain there for a good ten minutes before she began to feel conscious creep back to her as she began to lightly feel her injuries. The next thing she heard was a distant scream. She couldn't make out the owner of the voice but she knew he sounded terrified. Her eyelids fluttered lightly as someone threw the wooden panel off her back and gripped her side and turned her over. That's when the newfound pain sunk in. She gasped loudly and weakly tried to feel her stomach. Tears poured down her face and she began to sob loudly because she knew there was no way her baby could've survived that. She prayed, for the first time in forever, that her thoughts were wrong and let her have just this one miracle. She then heard Price's voice sweep her face and snap her into reality and what had just happened.

"Look at me. You're fine." He said touching the woman's shoulder.

He quickly checked her but he didn't have to search far to see the pool of blood around her and the large rip in her side. His eyes widened in shock as Soap appeared before him, running with all his might and jumped over Yuri's body, who was still on the ground to reach Melody. He ran over towards her and quickly sat on his knees beside her. Then as sudden memories flashed through her mind, she remembered that Makarov had said something before the bombs went off.

"_Yuri my friend, you never should have come here." He had said._

With what little strength it had left, Melody's heart set off into a weak rapid beating as she realized that her friend Yuri had known Makarov. She began to wonder what stunts they had pulled together and why he was there. She then wondered if Makarov had sent him because of what she had done all those years ago when she was just a marine.

She felt two strong arms lift her up and began to carry her away. Through barely opened eyelids, she looked up to see the wary and pale face of her 'Scotland'. She weakly gripped his collar and leaned her head closer to him as she muttered something in audible breaths.

"Yuri… Makarov… he said." She mumbled out.

Soap was too worried about her that he hadn't heard her muttered attempts of trying to tell him what she had plotted together in her head.

They began to move down the street with RPGs, gunfire, and other heavy artillery firing at them as MacTavish carried to severely wounded Melody in his arms. The constant movement only made her wounds worse as she leaked blood over MacTavish's arms and shirt. Her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat and she bit her lips and clenched her teeth to keep from screaming which she knew would just put him through more pain than she was in. And she didn't want him in pain; she would much rather endure it for them both. Or in this case, for the three of them. Melody knew she wasn't going to make, just as accurate as she was with Kamarov even though that was an obvious theory. Her hands weakly pressed against her stomach trying to hold back the blood and avoiding the baby because she didn't want to be heartbroken if she couldn't feel his heartbeat anymore. They moved off the streets and onto the back of a store building. MacTavish put her down by the dumpster so she could lean against it for support as he looked over at Price who was reloading his gun. Yuri stood in between the two, occasionally glancing behind to make sure no one had followed them yet. Another obvious fact that weren't 'out of sight; out of mind' to the Russians. Price looked over at MacTavish as he tried to force a pistol into her balled fists and stroking her hair and telling her everything was going to be fine. Though she dared not say it, she thought that was a total lie and he should know better than to lie to himself.

"It's not safe here. We have to move." Price said looking over at Melody who tried to mutter something to them.

"Just patch me up. Get me back in this." She said trying to hold the pistol in her weak and shaking hands.

"C'mon!" MacTavish said forcing the woman from the ground placed an arm around her waist while the other was wrapped around his neck.

"We need… Nikolai…get us out." She muttered.

They ignored her muttered attempts and Price kicked the door with his foot and they were inside the storing room. Price went in first and then MacTavish with Melody at his side. She could barely feel her feet and her legs were like she had no bone or muscle. Her arm slid from his neck and she fell into the stacked boxes beside them. She felt a large amount of blood leave her body again and saw the blood-stained boxes as MacTavish lifted her up again.

"C'mon, Melody. You can make it." He said in her ear.

"Yuri. Take point and cover them." Price said looking over at the two then at Yuri.

Yuri immediately took off through the door and ran through the break room and into the main room of the store. He was met with a group of Russians in the store and more appeared on both sides of him. He quickly took out the one in front of him then turned as he heard a bullet barely scrap him. He turned and went through the right door of the break room and took out the one behind the door and continued to move around there. He took down two more that hid behind either walls or doors. As he looked for the three others, he saw them standing in front of the door. One Russian kicked the door and immediately went to shoot at them, wounded first. Before he could lie on a finger on the trigger Melody used whatever strength she had and raised her gun and forced her finger to pull the trigger. She shot him in the head quickly then nearly dropped since she had used all her strength.

MacTavish scoffed at her. "Nice shot, Mells." He said in her ear.

She weakly smiled. "I can still teach you a thing or two, Scotland." She said with a weak laugh.

He smiled at her then he started to carry her across the street towards the statue in the corner. "We're moving up to the statue!" MacTavish called out.

"Keep 'em off of us." Price called out to Yuri who was also firing at the appearing Russians.

Yuri obeyed and began firing at the Russians that were coming up the road on foot and were trying to aim at MacTavish and Melody since they were easily seen from the statue as he tried to attend to her. As Yuri and Price fired at the Russians, Melody gripped Soap's collar and forced him to look at her. She knew she had to tell him the truth. The secret she was keeping now and that it was no secret that she was going to die. But the only question on her thoughts; was it even wise to tell him this if I'm going to die anyway? She didn't care, she had to tell him.

"John. Look... at me." She said, brown eyes sparkling with fresh tears.

He glanced at her and took out a Russian nearing them then focused on what she was trying to say.

She just looked up at him and tried gain enough strength so she could get it all out. "John… I have to tell you something." She paused taking a deep breath then continued slowly. "It's a known fact that I'm going to survive this so you have to listen to me and promise me you'll do what I say." She paused again and placed shaking, weak hands on her stomach lovingly. She looked up at him hoping he would understand what she was trying to tell him because she was too tired to speak. He just stared at her, but she could tell he was slowly understanding.

"Promets-moi que vous pourrez protéger mon petit Écosse." She said in French to hide the secret when she realized she wasn't really ready to say it aloud.

He tried to gather what she was saying but was angry because he didn't know the language she used. He knew it was French but he didn't know the meaning. Melody placed a thickly blood-stained hand on his cheek lovingly and smiled at him as tears made dirt-tracked streaks down her face. She prayed that her baby would somehow make it even if she didn't live to even see or feel him.

MacTavish spotted someone from the corner of his eye on the roof and quickly took him out. Once he doubled check to see that the area was clear, he bent down and carefully picked up Melody in his arms. She moaned softly and tried to wrap an arm around his neck.

"We can't stay here. C'mon, this way." Soap said holding her firmly and led the others toward a building behind them. Yuri and Price made it over in time as a group of hostiles appeared behind them on top of rooftops and an AC-130 helicopter behind them. Soap quickly kicked the door of the office building. As they move through the building, Melody gasps a chocked breath. She realized that she was having trouble breathing. She hadn't known her wounds also involved an injured lung. She knew for sure she wasn't going to make it.

"Through here, let's go!" Soap yelled.

Melody gripped onto his neck and tried to tell him something through hissed breaths.

"John… I have to say… just in case…" She paused trying to breath but was stopped as a finger came to her lips.

"Sshh, you're going to be fine, Mells. Just hold on, you hear me? Promise me you'll keep holding on." He begged, tears glistening on his eyelids as he took in her pale, sweaty, chocked face in complete terror. His instincts told him that there was no way that she was going to survive this, while the other part of him that loved Melody refused to believe it. He wasn't going to let her go that easily.

She hissed in more chocked breaths as they continued through the streets behind the large office building.

Yuri and Price engaged more Russians as they appeared on the streets and when the area seemed clear they pushed on. They continued to do this as they crossed through a building and across the street towards a basketball court.

"They'll…just keep coming." Melody forced out, trying to tell them it was no use to do all this.

"Don't stop! Keep moving!" Price yelled behind them.

Melody furrowed her eyebrows and closed her eyes tight as she felt his movements press and make her wounds even more painful. She just wanted it all to stop because she knew there was no way for her to make. There was no way for _both of them_ to make it. She began to cry at the thought, glad that it looked like just painful tears.

"Just leave me, John!" She forced out through sobs.

"No! I'm getting you out of this!" He said aggravated that she was giving up so easily and aggravated that he was going to lose his Melody. He looked over across the street.

"Head for that building to the northwest!" He ordered.

Soap moved as fast as he could with Melody as he heard more enemy fire come behind them.

"Behind us! Cover our six!" Soap yelled out as he moved on to take Melody to the building.

Price and Yuri turned to take out the incoming hostiles that appeared from the back streets. Melody lay there, struggling to keep her heavy eyelids open, but was tempted as she heard familiar voices and comforting faces telling them that it was going to be alright; that the pain would go away if she gave in to the blanketing darkness. She could see her old friends, Steven, Shaun, and her cousin Mallory. She grinned as she saw Ronan's face.

'_You always knew how to keep me waiting, Mouse.' He said with one of his crooked smiles; using her call sign which he had always used before since it was so strange._

She thought it would be nice to be with him and all her lost loved ones. She didn't love Ronan like she loved Soap, but she loved him like a brother. She smiled greatly as she heard a melodic sound. Charlie's laughter. She could see them; he was with his older sister and his mother. She was glad that he had finally had them, all the love he could desire.

They cleared the area and started cutting through the basketball court. Melody rolled her eyes weakly to see where they were going.

"Soap! UAZ!" She breathed out.

Soap advised the UAZ, but grinned as he realized that they had made it to the Resistance soldiers.

"We made it, Melody! Just hold on!" He said happily stroking her hair comfortingly.

They cleared the basketball court as the UAZ drove in and more infantry had moved in. Yuri had turned to fire back at them as much as he could as Resistance soldiers came over and carefully picked up the injured building and began to carry her into their building. Soap stayed at her side as they carried her with Price a step behind.

"We got her! Just fall back!" The Resistance leader said to Yuri.

Yuri ran into the building with Price and Soap and stood back as they began to move a barely conscious and barely breathing Melody towards a table.

"Clear the table!" Price ordered placing his gun on his back. He was just as equally wary of the girl's survival as Soap was. He had known her since she was young. It was hard to think of the young girl he had first seen, who was so full of life and rosy cheeks, to this older version whose lips and face were pale and looked so helpless.

Since Soap was too busy holding her left gloved hand in his and stroking her hair with the other, Yuri stepped over and placed both his hands on her hip and upper abdomen where most of the bleeding was taking place. He watched as his somewhat friend who had trusted him thrust about in Price's attempts to warily check her body. She weakly lifted her head to look up at Price and tried to recover some air to tell him her burning secret about Yuri.

"Price…Yuri…" She muttered.

"Not now, Mouse. Just rest." He said using her call sign which showed his was beyond wary. He looked back at the soldiers behind him. "Get a medic! C'mon, stay with me, Marie!" He said shaking her slightly. Melody jokingly thought that he was going to burst into hysterics since he used her middle name. She hissed in some breaths then weakly reached out and gripped his collar with a weak grip. She lifted her head slowly to fully look at him, brown eyes rimmed with red and pain to meet his light blue, identical to Becca's.

"Price…You need to know…" She muttered.

Price looked at her face with a slight wary frown. He reached up to grip her small, thin hand with his as she weakly pulled him closer to her.

She took in three deep, hissed breaths then reopened her closed his to look him straight in the eyes. "Makarov…knows…Yuri." She said.

Both his and MacTavish's eyebrows furrowed at her words. She weakly pulled her hand back to her stomach lovingly then looked over at Soap. She smiled at him and continued to look at him for a moment. Soap continued to grin back at her thinking that she was still alive, but when they both noticed she was going far too long without blinking; that's when his heart started to pound like a drum and he gripped her hand and looked into her glassy brown eyes.

"Melody? Mells… Oh God, no no no, Melody! No! Please!" He burst into furious and sad tears as she didn't move at his attempts of waking her.

Even Price tried to hide the tears that formed in his eyes.


	22. Chapter 22:Blissful & Painful Memories

"Melody? Mells… Oh God, no no no, Melody! No! Please!" Soap screamed out and took her in his arms.

As tears blurred his vision, he watched as she just stared through him with glassy eyes. He continued to whisper quiet 'no's' and slowly ripped the vest from her and removed her gloves, revealing to Price and Yuri the clean diamond ring still placed on her finger. He held her still warm hand and kissed her small fingers as he reached out with the other and slowly pulled her eyelids down so it looked like she was merely sleeping. He had always loved to watch her sleep; he prayed that this was different and it was just some dream. Well, more like a nightmare. As he stood there for a second, uncontrollable tears running down his cheeks, he thought of every wonderful moment he had with her. Images of the first time he saw her came up and made his heart wrench with sorrow. He remembered thinking her to be so beautiful and that he had to talk with her, though a little wary he would make a complete fool of himself. His favorite (besides the times where she first kissed him and accepted his somewhat marriage proposal) memory came to mind. It was back at the wedding and everyone was either standing around talking, dancing or just as she did, sitting in a corner by herself. Becca had busied herself with Victoria, talking about how beautiful everything was and other 'girly' things Melody would've found disgusting.

_MacTavish chuckled as he watched Dunn strike out on Becca with his drunken ways and pass out on the floor. Foley and Ramirez had thrown his knocked-out body in the men's bathroom with a fake phone number which they hoped to prank him with later. And a permanent marker tattoo on his chest pointing "down south" with the bold markings, __**Property of Bertha**__. They couldn't wait to see his reaction the next morning, or afternoon depending on how drunk he was. MacTavish looked across the room then immediately grinned as he saw Melody sitting at one of the tables with a bored expression as she watched the wine swirl in her glass as she slightly spun the rim in one hand. He grinned as he heard a slow song begin to play and people began to drag partners to the dance floor. He hesitantly stood up and took one last swing of his wine then began to walk over towards her. She cautiously looked up at him and glanced nervously down at her hands on her glass then back to him. He finally reached her and stuck out his hand, palm out. She glanced at his hand then up at his face with an uncontrolled grin pulling at her lips._

"_May I have this dance?" He asked with his best crooked smile._

_She chuckled one and nervously pulled an imaginary loose strand from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Dancing does not help the uncoordinated." She joked about her clumsiness._

"_No, not really. But, if it helps, I am hideously terrible at dancing." He said encouraging her to take his hand._

_She pursed her lips with a smile. "I can't dance in this monkey suit anyway. Or the matching monkey shoes of death." She joked looking pointedly at her dress and down at her silver dress heels._

_He arched an eyebrow. "You think you're wearing a monkey suit? Have you seen me? By all means you have it easier in the clothing department." He chuckled._

_She looked him down from head to toe with a pity-eyebrows arch. She finally settled on his face with a grin. "I'm so sorry." She said with a giggle._

"_Now, we both know the pain of a wedding. But, why don't you enjoy one dance with me. C'mon! Be brave." He said with a smile._

_She let out a breath with a fake aggravated look on her face and placed her wine glass on the table and reached out and took his hand, making her instantly blush when she found it shocking that he had such warm and soft hands. He smiled back at her as he led her towards the dance floor, both nervous of making a fool of themselves in front of each other. She hesitantly reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder with burning red cheeks and they both felt butterflies as he placed a hand of her waist with a nervous smile. They both swayed, with the occasional spin by Melody, as they listened to the song and the words. Slowly leaning into each other and Melody eventually rested her chin on his shoulder._

'_Never knew I could feel like this  
>Like I've never seen the sky before<br>Want to vanish inside your kiss  
>Every day I love you more and more<br>Listen to my heart can you hear it sings  
>Telling me to give you everything<br>Seasons may change winter to spring  
>But I love you until the end of time<br>Come what may Come what may  
>I will love you until my dying day<br>Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
>Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace<br>Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
>It all revolves around you<br>And there's no mountain too high no river too wide  
>Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side<br>Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide  
>But I love you I love you until the end of time<br>Come what may come what may  
>I will love you until my dying day<br>Oh come what may come what may  
>I will love you oh I will love you<br>Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
>Come what may come what may<br>I will love you until my dying day'_

_They both jumped away from each other as they heard Becca's squeal come from one direction of the large room, snapping them back into reality and remembering that they were at a wedding instead of by themselves._

"_Mells! Mells! Come here! We have to get going, now!" She said running up to them then quickly apologizing about interrupting them. _

"_It's alright, Becca. Um see you later, 'Non-John' ". She said with a joke, referring to earlier when she said he wasn't like the John's she knew._

_He grinned at her and waved slightly as he watched her walk away._

MacTavish began to wipe away his tears as he the words still haunted his mind as he watched that same beautiful girl and future wife lay motionless before him with tears still slightly streaming down her face and staining her already dirt and blood covered face. He leaned down and kissed her warm dead lips once more and placed his forehead against hers for a second.

"I'm so sorry, Melody. I will love you until my dying day." He whispered the lyrics to her. He grinned as he imagined her response. He reached up and placed her left hand on top of her right and placed them on her stomach and stroked her hair back lovingly.

He leaned slightly over her body as a nearby tank come rolling by and began firing upon them. Then present then suck into him and he remembered what Melody had said. He looked over and glared at Yuri as they hid in a hallway leading towards a basement.

"Yuri, get the door!" Price yelled.

Yuri fired one last shot and turned to the door and opened the door slightly. MacTavish, in a revenge-heartbroken rage took the door and threw it open and punched Yuri in the face that caused him to fly back and roll down the stairs. Price let it happen considering he was as equally angered by the news. MacTavish pulled out his pistol and slowly stormed down the steps with Price behind him.

"Melody trusted you. And for a crazy second, I thought I could too. So you better have a good excuse as to why in bloody hell does Makarov know you!" He demanded reaching the bottom and pointing the weapon in his face.

Yuri looked at the man and hesitantly began to tell his story. "I was young and patriotic when I first met Vladimir Makarov." He began as he looked back on the memory.

_Yuri was aroused from his nap as he felt a hand shake against his shoulder. She shook his head sleepily and looked around him, remembering what was going on. He looked over to see his friend, Vladimir Makarov, sitting in the front seat of a truck in a full winter camouflage and worn-out red cap._

"_Yuri, wake up. Zakhaev wouldn't want you to miss this. This deal will generate millions for our cause. Money can buy many things, even power. The road to our future begins here, my friend." He said looking at the young man then turning to look out the window. Yuri looked out onto the scene where Imran Zakhaev stood holding a stack of gold in his hands then handing it to someone else in the crowd. The cool winter wind whipped the trees and the flag that hung on the back of one of the trucks of the arms dealer. The sky was painted with grey clouds and a grey-blue and a chopper hovered amongst them protectively. He watched as the arms dealer had said something that had set off Zakhaev deeply. He began to yell at the man in a thick and heavy Russian language and threw his arms up in frustration. In the middle of his rant, a sniper round is then heard springing from somewhere higher close to one of the buildings and then everyone is scattering away from the scene in fretful escapes as Zakhaev was hit by the shot and flew back while his left arm was torn from its socket and a deep scream could be heard from him. Makarov and Yuri leaned intently in their seats to see what had happened to him. They continued to sit there even though the unknown enemy began to fire upon them, Yuri ducked as the seat window in front of him had crashed and glass shattered around him. He jumped back as he heard something heavy smack against the side of the truck. He looked up to see a heavily injured Zakhaev tear his way to the door. His left side, where his arm should've been, bled continuously and left long tracks behind him and stained his clothes deeply. Makarov reached over and tore the door open as Zakhaev sat in the passenger seat and clutch onto his stub of an arm painfully as Makarov sped off in pursuit to find Zakhaev help, even running over one their own men that was waving his arms in signal that he was there. He just ignored him and sped through and crashed through the gates behind him._

"Zakhaev never forgot what we did for him that day. Our reward was power… But power corrupts." Yuri said escaping the memory and moving on to another, fifteen years later.

_Yuri followed Makarov as they walked outside from the underground bunker of Al-Asad's Safehouse. They walked out into the sandy, windy Middle East scene and looked down at the half-burnt city. Yuri knew of the missile they were going to release upon the town and not only were U.S. Marines dwelling in the city, but thousands of innocent civilians were to be sacrificed in this power that Makarov had been deeply corrupted with._

"_Today, we show the world our true strength… Perhaps it will give you some as well." He said looking over at him with a grin. It wasn't a friendly grin; it was more like that of a murderer taking the life of his next innocent victim. Yuri didn't like what was becoming of him or anything of this in that Yuri questioned why he was here and what he was doing, the silence between them was interrupted as an annoying ring comes from Makarov's pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and listened to the voice behind it._

"_Is everything ready?" He paused for a second as the person answered him quickly. He grinned another devious smile. "Do it." He said simply._

_Those two words seemed to launch and admit the murder of many people and not just people, but lives, families, dreams, memories, everything extinguished in a matter to make the world really fear them. Yuri lifted a hand to both block his vision of the missile and cover his face from the incoming blast then stared out in complete horror. Thousands of souls extinguished by the push of a button. He continued to look out upon the ruined city as Makarov began to speak something beside him._

"_Understand, Yuri. This…" He said pointingly looking over at the burning city. "…Is only the beginning." He said looking at him then turned to enter the dark bunker again._

_Yuri continued to stare out into the disaster scene that lay ahead of him. It all pieced together in his mind as he watched this and remembered everything that had been done for this "cause" Makarov talked about. He thought that if this was only the beginning then he didn't want to stay behind to hear the rest of the horrific story._

"This wasn't war. It was madness" Yuri said as recalled the last and final memory of Makarov, sharing it with them.

_Yuri struggled as two men from Makarov's squad held him back as they drug him into the parking garage under the airport. As they finally reached their destination, they let him go and he pulled him arms back forcefully. He stared off into the darkly lit corner as he heard an old and familiar voice creep from the shadows. _

"_I know what you have done, Yuri." Makarov said as he finally appearing from the shadows and holding hands behind him with an intimidating expression on his face. "My friend, my ally, my betrayer. What happens here today, will change the world forever. Nothing can stop this. Not even you." He said stretching the 'you' slightly as he pulled out his Desert Eagle and shot him once in the abdomen. Yuri fell to the ground as he watched Makarov step over him as if he were just some crack in the sidewalk and began to proceed with his terrorist attack. Later as Yuri awoke, he heard the buzzing sound in his ears as he heard the men getting ready in an elevator. Yuri crawled painfully towards another elevator._

"_Remember- no Russian." He heard Makarov advise his men._

_Yuri heard the ding as the elevator doors swung open and he was met with the sound of gunfire and the screams of innocent civilians as Makarov took them all out in his barbaric pursuit of sending his message to the world. He looked out in horror at the scene and what, he knew, would result in. He looked over and saw a P99 pistol that belonged to a dead security guard. Using whatever strength he had left, he took the gun from the floor and pulled himself up to follow the destruction that he knew would lead to Makarov. He followed weakly as he saw Makarov's men began to descend up the stairs. Once he finally spotted Makarov, he weakly pulled up his pistol and tried to aim at him. No matter how hard he had tried to stop him, he just couldn't as he fell to floor and passed out of the bloodloss. The next time he had opened his eyes, he found bright lights blinding him as he then saw the face of a medic signaling for someone behind him for help and began to pull an oxygen mask on him._

"I was a soldier of Russia, not a taker of innocent lives. But, in his eyes, this marked me as the enemy." Yuri said finishing his long story.

Soap, still enraged and glaring at him with the Desert Eagle aimed at him, just looked down at him ready to kill him the first chance he had.

"Okay, Yuri. You've bought yourself some time… … for now." Price said behind them and came up and placed a hand on Soap's shoulder; signaling him to get off of Yuri and stood up.

Soap grunted angrily, but obeyed his commander and withdrew his grip from Yuri and attempted to now kill him no matter how much he wanted to.

"Price! Soap! Melody! Does anyone copy? Where are you?" Becca's voice was heard in the still silence amongst them.

Hearing his daughter's voice in his ear struck Price with a sudden grief. Who was going to tell her that she wouldn't be able to see her best friend and practically sister ever again? He knew he should do that, but he wasn't sure if he himself was ready to admit that Melody was gone. He would always remember the first time he met the, then, small girl when he was deliver some supplies, academic wise.

_A much younger Price stepped out onto the gloomy looking property of Gen. Johnston's academy. He whistled a low tune at the place and ran a hand through his light brown hair. He then picked up a crate of some of the supplies his old friend had asked of him to pick up when he visited the place. He walked on the sidewalk leading to the glass doors, but stumbled back and juggled the crate in his arms as he felt something smack against his legs. He looked back to see a small, brunette with dark chocolate eyes wide in terror. She looked as if she was running away from someone, but he wasn't quite sure who. Her arms immediately flew to her face in complete horror as she screamed out._

"_Please! Don't hit me in the face!" She begged through tears._

_He looked down at the girl with an arched eyebrow and sat on one knee in front of her. "I'm not going to hurt you. It's alright." He said calmly._

_She peeked at him from under her arms and cautiously moved away from him. "Are you sure? That tends to happen a lot, but somehow I get hurt." She pressed on._

_He grinned at her. "I promise, I won't hurt you." He said placing a hand on her shoulder._

_The action caused her to squeal_ _and jump back some feet. He just watched her in complete shock that little girl, or anybody, could be so terrified of just a small touch. He watched as she took in deep breaths and stared back at him cautiously. As she continued to watch him, she slowly crawled towards him as he seemed to not show any sort of harm, which she had quickly learned to first look for when she met someone new. _

"_I'm John Price, what's your name?" He asked slowly looking at her._

_She grinned at him slowly, which she felt she hadn't done in ages, at the man before her. As she opened her mouth to answer his question, she heard the loud, calling voice of her father in front of them. _

"_Melody! Melody, where are you?" Ben Johnston yelled out._

_She gasped and jumped up from the ground and began to run in the direction she heard his voice. Price watched her as she ran towards him as if she was in the middle in war. _

"_I'm coming, sir!" She yelled._

_She ran up to him and stood straight and saluted him quickly. He arched an eyebrow and looked over at Price who was lifting the crate from the ground. He looked down at her with a shamed looked then back at Price._

"_Melody, did you knock over Captain Price while he was carrying that crate?" He asked staring down at her._

_Melody nervously twisted her foot in the dirt and folded her hands. "Well… yes, but I swear I didn't mean to! I was running from Coach Hayes when I accidently ran into him. I'm so sorry, Daddy!" She begged with tears in her eyes._

"_I told you, you either call me General or sir, and you know not to call me 'daddy' or any other stupid name of the sort. Now, go to Margaret and receive your usual punishment." He said looking down at her with a shamed look._

"_No! Please, you still haven't let me have my breakfast or lunch yet, D- sir!" She begged._

"_General, none of this is necessary it was just an accident, okay?" Price said stepping and trying to help the poor girl._

"_Please, Captain. I don't criticize your way of raising your daughter so please don't with mine." Ben said stepping in and pushing the girl ahead of him._

_She stopped to look at Price once more with almost a begging look in her eyes. Ben just pushed her along again._

"_Go! Before I make your punishment two days!" He nearly yelled at her._

_She gasped and immediately began running as fast as she could. _

_Price watched her as she left in complete fear. He sat there thinking how glad he was that he turned down Ben's offer of letting Becca join the academy._

"Yeah, Becca. We're here. We'll be at exfil point until you arrive. Price, out." He said with a sad tone. He looked over at Soap who was sitting on something that he found in the basement. He held his head in his palms, slightly shaking his head. He knew that he was suffering, but he wasn't sure if there was anything he could say that would make him feel better like he did for Melody or Becca. He sighed and waited with the two for Becca and Nikolai at the exfil point.


	23. Chapter 23: The truth hurts like Hell

The three of them began to walk out from the basement and into the dark and clouded day. It seemed as though the sky was even mourning the loss of their team mate and friend as it continued to rain, but as though the thundering was sobbing and the harder the rain fell upon the men, the harder that MacTavish tried to hide his tears. He did admit some tears fell but only because the tears hid them for him. They stared up as they saw Nikolai's new chopper come by and land meters in front of them. The felt an equal sorrow hit them all as they saw Becca jump off the ramp and began to walk over toward the three with a smile on her face.

"Sorry we're a little later than planned, took forever to refuel. I liked Nikolai's old bird better." She said with a laugh. She looked around them to find her friend. When she couldn't find her, her smile faded into a wary frown. She looked at Soap and Yuri, but they just looked in another direction and refused to meet her wary and near tears eyes. She then looked up at Price who continued to stare at his only daughter and only child with grief.

"Please tell me Melody went on another chopper." She begged with tears forming in her eyes.

Yuri glanced up at her with a sorrowful expression as they continued to remain silent.

She took that as their answer. "Oh, God. No, no no!" She immediately burst into tears and covered her face from the horrifying expression forming.

Price hesitantly wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they began to get back to Nikolai's bird. Soap sat farther away from Price, Yuri and Becca; he didn't feel like being around anyone at the moment. After a while, Becca's eyes were puffy and red from tears and she hugged herself as she rested her head on her knees with Price brushing back loose strands of her curly red hair. She sniffed occasionally. It was strangely quiet in the chopper. Nikolai, who had been told of the woman's death shortly after he landed, quietly flew with a solemn face as he stared out the cockpit window with a far-off expression on his face. Even Dunn and Ramirez were motionless and silent, which was strange for the two. Becca suddenly looked up from her curtaining red hair then looked up at Price with a serious face.

"I need mom. She'd now what to say. I'll probably have to stay home for a while because she's been telling me that she won't let me go the next like she always does." She said remembering her crazy, over-protective.

Price scoffed remembering the woman. He hadn't seen any of his family since he left when Becca was just two in '96. He nodded once. "It'd probably be better for you to go back home. If something happened to you like Melody…" He hesitated seeing both hers and MacTavish, who still sat motionless and emotionless in the corner.

**Two Hours Later:**

Becca walked through the halls of the old sleeping quarters for each of the soldiers though many rooms now were left empty. As she was making her way to MacTavish's with her last parting gift before she left to be with her mom, she felt a force hit her so strongly in the face that she had to stop and turn. It was Melody's old room. Without thinking, she hesitantly reached out to touch the door and she was suddenly hit with a memory. The first time she saw her when they were both eight and her father had come to visit after what seemed like to her at the time, in forever. He let her go with him when he again visited his old friend Gen. Johnston.

_Becca kept a hand tight in her father's strong hand as she skipped alongside him on the sidewalk of the gloomy and vacant looking facility. Her red curls bounced with every step she took and her excited light blue eyes took in every item in the yard and every detail of the large grey-brick building. She was too happy to be with her father to notice how depressing the place and some of the children outside looked like. When they made it inside, they went to the front desk to see a tall, thin, blonde woman with bright blue eyes with the name 'Margaret Keller' on a small plaque in front of her. The woman had a kind face and smiled at the little girl as she glanced over at the door in the far hallway. General Johnston's office. Everyone in the room turned as they heard a loud crash and then saw the small body of an almost frightening skinny brown-haired girl with terrified brown eyes storm from the room and sprinted as fast as her legs could go to the woman behind the desk. _

"_Margaret! Margaret, hide me, please!" The girl begged as quickly slid under the divider of the desk and crawled toward her as if she was a beggar on the street. _

_Becca looked over at the girl with almost a sad and frightened look. She pitied the poor girl before her as the same girl looked up at her through horrified tears._

"_Excuse me, please." Margaret said with an apologetic smile at Price and Becca then took the girl by the arm with a motherly tenderness. They then began to talk in hushed voices to each other as she sat on the large brown arm chair in the hallway. _

"_Melody, sweetie, what happened?" Margaret asked tucking a strand of messy brown locks behind her ear._

_She sniffed and wiped tears from her cheeks with her sleeve. "I accidently hurt one of the boys on the course. I tried to tell Daddy, I mean General, that it was an accident and it would never happen again but then he hit me. My arm hurts really bad, Maggie!" She bawled out and began to break into tears again._

_Margaret's eyebrows furrowed in pity and she took her in her arms and hugged her tightly. Melody screamed when they saw her father come out of his office. She jumped up and began to run out the doors, taking one last look at Price and Becca. She slightly remembered Price, and recognized Becca as the girl who looked at her._

_Margaret and Gen. Johnston shared a hushed conversation while Margaret tried to scold the General about how he treated his own daughter and how he shouldn't lay a hand on her just because he was mad at himself for how he had messed up with her and the girl's mother. He had said something to her that made her catch her breath and stepped aside as he went to greet Price and Becca. After a while, Becca had gone outside while her father and the General talked. With one of her mother's many lessons about showing kindness to those who needed it most, Becca began to search for Melody everywhere. When she finally thought she should give up, she heard a slight sobbing far off into the woods from the academy. Becca furrowed her eyebrows because there was a large fence placed in front of the opening of the woods. She followed the direction of the crying and tripped over something and fell to the ground. She looked over her foot to find a pile of broken off bush branches placed in front of a large hole in the fence that anyone could tell was created with pliers and rushed hands. She crawled underneath the fence and immediately began to call out._

"_Hello? Is anyone out here? I won't hurt you." She called out. She heard a shuffle to her right and she saw a purple-conversed foot slide out of view. She bent down and saw the terrified face of the girl in the lobby. She gave her a toothy –minus some teeth- grin and asked her to come out. She refused and slid farther back as possible._

"_Aw, c'mon. I won't hurt you. I wanna talk. You looked sad back there; are you alright?" She asked sitting down in front of her hiding spot and crossed her legs and played with the ribbon happily on her silver and black shoes. _

_She looked at Becca's face hesitantly and returned her grin slowly and deliberately. "Yeah. I'm sorta used to it by now. What's your name?" She asked resting her chin in her hands at her –hopefully- new friend. _

"_Rebecca Price, but you can just call me Becca. Though sometimes my momma uses Abrahams as my last name, but I like Price because it's my daddy's last name." She said sticking her hand out suddenly to her with a bright smile._

_Melody flinched and scooted back a foot from her and covered her eyes with her hands._

"_Woops, sorry. I'm not going to hurt you. I was offering a handshake." Becca quickly explained._

_Melody looked from her hands and eyed the strange girl for a second. Melody had never known a girl like Becca before. Usually, any girls she met were gloomy and depressing to look at like the girls here and herself. Becca was different. She wasn't pitiful looking and wasn't nothing but skin and bones and was happy. She secretly wished right then that she was that girl. She didn't wish her life upon Becca, of course. But she wished she could just hide in her pocket and escape her father to the calm and serene home that she went to that made her so kind and happy. _

_Melody giggled. "Why? I think a simple 'Hi' would do the trick." She asked with her straight-tooth smile. (Of course she had straight and clean teeth because in her world candy was a delicacy that she could have once a year and she was always forced to brush her teeth every morning and night.) _

_That question stumped Becca. Her arm slightly bent and she furrowed her eyebrows in complete confusion. "I don't know. Daddy does it all the time. Weird." She said arching an eyebrow._

_Melody giggled with Becca for a minute as she hesitantly shook her hand. "Well, I'm Melody Johnston. The pathetic looking girl from the lobby." She said with a smile._

_They continued to talk and laugh together until Becca heard Price's voice calling her. Becca said a quick good-bye and wished to see her again really soon. Melody grinned as she stepped out of her hiding spot and followed her back to the academy grounds. Melody sadly leaned against a tree as she watched Becca run up to Price and quickly hug him as he picked her up in his arms. Melody kicked a small pebble under her foot and sadly looked at her feet then looked back up to the two. Becca waved with toothy grin as they began to walk away towards their car. Melody pulled up a smile and waved back and followed her towards the sidewalk. She watched her drive away with a sad face, thinking she would never see her new friend ever again._

Becca grinned at the memory as a tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly as she remembered the present and took a hand back from the door with a heavy, brick heart. She forced herself to keep moving to MacTavish's door that was just three or four doors down on the right. She continued walking and made it to his door. She knocked twice on the door and waited for him to answer. After a moment, he opened the door and she furrowed her eyebrows in concern as she looked upon his swollen, red-eyed face with some tears still streaming down his scar and down his cheeks.

"I brought this to you. I thought you might like it. It has all of… her pictures on it. Ever since we were little to now. You don't have to watch it right now; just whenever you feel is best." She said giving him the same friendly and concerned grin she gave to Melody years ago.

He took the CD case and looked at the picture of Melody on the front of it with the title beneath it.

_Melody Marie Johnston_

_August 19, 1994 – October 11, 2016_

"And they also found something in Melody's room in her closet. I think she would've wanted you to have them." She said pointing her thumb in the direction of her room. She stood there for a second rocking on her heels when it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Oh my God, I'm so freakin' sorry! I'll go get it! I'm sorry, that was way too soon to even forget about you. Gosh! You wanna slap me? One time deal here, man." She said slapping her palm to her forehead with an embarrassed look then offered her arm to him.

He chuckled once and waited as she ran off into Melody's old room. He leaned out the frame of the door as he looked at her door and the dark room that was lite by the kitchen light Becca had turned on. He felt like moving towards the door and the room like someone was pushing his back and edging him forward. He walked out from his room and slowly towards her door. He traced his fingers along the door frame and peaked in to see in the room. It was mainly like his room, bare walls and regular furniture that was already in the room before. He noticed something bulging out of a sweater on her counter in the kitchen from the light hanging above. He furrowed his eyebrows and walked over to pick it up. He took it in his hands and turned it over. It was a photo album with an old Marine group picture on the front frame. He chuckled as he saw two guys beside Melody and hugged both her sides until all you could see was the arm of her sleeve and her crushed-looking face that was glued with a painful like smile. He smiled at the caption of the bottom in bold letters

_Melody Sandwich!_

"Hey, I have the box." Becca said jumping as she saw his silhouette in the kitchen.

He turned to see Becca holding a large cardboard box with 'Crap load of tapes' written in permanent marker in the front. He smiled at the writing.

"Like I said, you don't have to watch them right away just whenever you feel is right. And, I'm sorry about everything with loosing Mells and the baby, of course." Becca said giving him a sympathetic look.

That got his full attention. He furrowed his eyebrows and took a grip of her forearm. "Becca, did you just say…'Baby'?" He asked.

Becca's eyes grew wide and she began to stutter. "B-b-baby? No, of course not. You must haven mistaken me. I said, 'Loosing Mells and the baby as in…. the M9 pistol?" She said with a nervous smile.

"Becca… Tell me the truth. Was Melody…? Did she tell you that she was…pregnant?" He asked awkwardly; thinking it strange that the words came from his mouth.

Becca's bottom lip quivered as she considered telling him the truth. She knew it would only crush him even more because since Melody had already clearly changed him, what would telling him that both his future wife and child were killed because of Makarov? She thought over what she would tell him then finally looked up at him. With tears in her eyes, she gave him a stiff nod, 'yes'.

MacTavish forced his balled fists from her arms as she winced in his sad anger. He tried to contain his anger and not punch something or someone. He just nearly ripped the box from her arms and stormed out of the room with the photo album on top of everything. When he was back in his own room, he threw the box onto the floor where he heard a small *beep beep* and the video that began to play by accident on the camcorder made his heart stop.

"Ronan! What the hell! Stop!" Came Melody's giggling voice from the floor.

**A/N: So, what do ya think of that? A bit cheesy I know, but this is how my mind works. So, let me know what you think through feedback and I think I might take a poll either through reviews or on my profile of those who want me to continue this story [when its over which I'm telling you when ) ] and make a sequel. I won't really make the poll until later when this is complete. But anyway, thanks for reading and sticking along with me through the journey of 'Won't Back Down'. {wow, that sounded like a good-bye... weird}**


	24. Chapter 24: Melody's Truth Revealed

MacTavish continued to stare forward as he listened to her beautiful laugh that made his empty heart take off in the beat that she would've died for. He immediately went over to the floor and began to search until he finally found the dark blue palm camcorder and snatched it from the floor. He held the small screen to his face, shading it with its dimmed white light and causing his icy eyes to look almost ghostly in the light. He watched as she laughed as she tried to push the camera lens from her face.

She laughed and stuck out her whole tongue at him and showed him her mouth.

"Elggh. You didn't eat skunk did you?" He asked in a fake disgusted.

Her mouth gaped open with a smile and she knocked the camera from his hands.

"'Ey! Must you take your anger out on the poor camera? Its fragile you know. Your man hands might break it." He joked kissing her hand.

"Oh really, then you must get this a lot from other men." She said raising her right hand and raising her middle finger at him.

He just burst into a deep laughter that made the camera shake. Then he placed it on a shelf next to her bed and aimed it at the two as he slid into view. She hid her face with her book as kissed her neck.

The action made MacTavish's skin boil and caused him to glare at the Aussie.

"Isn't she a lovely doll, mates?" He said with a kiss on her check towards the camera.

"Yeah, you're not getting lucky tonight." She said looking down at her lap and licking her thumb as she turned the page.

He just chuckled and threw himself on top of her causing her to squeal. He leaned down to kiss her lips then turned to the camera beside him as if he had forgotten.

"You mind, mate?" He said placing a hand over the lens and turning the record off.

Trying to get the thought of some other man touching Melody made him boil with jealousy and slight anger so he decided to watch the small DVD Becca had given him. He held the disc with one hand with a heavy heart, deciding whether or not he should watch it. After a moment of inner persuading, he slowly and hesitantly slipped the disc in and the video immediately began to play once it was done loading. It was a home video of Melody when she was at least three in an above ground pool.

"_Are you watching Mommy?" She called out._

_In the background was the voice of her mother, Melanie reassuring her that she was._

_Melody smiled brightly then stepped back a couple of paces and began to sprint along the brick ground beneath her. She nearly scared her mother as she stopped suddenly at the very edge on her toes and ducked her long wet locks over the side and let her body fall head first into the water. Both MacTavish and Melanie began to worry as they didn't see the small girl pop back from the water and bubbles began to appear at the top. Melanie quickly placed the camera on the side table and ran towards the water and began searching for her little girl. Past Melanie's body you could hear a loud splash and a melodic giggle from the little girl._

"_Melody Marie Johnston! You know better than to do that. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Melanie immediately began scolding._

_Melody just burst into a heavier laugh and cried out to her in the middle of her laughter. "Ha-ha, I had you Mommy! You know I can hold my breath for a long time under water! Ha-ha."_

MacTavish chuckled at the girl and then slowly pictures began to play through with background music with the caption underneath the smiling girl in the pool. Marking her name and date of birth and death. It was a quite sad way to start a video. As more pictures went by, starting from the many traveling pictures she had with her mother to throughout her entire childhood with pictures with Becca. All lead to her teenage years where she could often be seen climbing high into trees while she dangled something above Becca that made her both angry and happy. As he watched the video, he realized halfway that he had been crying all over again. Not only for her loss, but also for the loss of his unknown child. He began to wonder what the little child would've been like. It just made his heart ache even more that he had lost his entire world in a matter of minutes. He lost his dream in the blink of an eye. Melody Marie and the little baby. His could have been new life after all this. Tears streamed down his face as he listened to the rest of the song.

_Thanks for all you've done  
>I've missed you for so long<br>I can't believe you're gone and  
>You still live in me<br>I feel you in the wind  
>You guide me constantly<br>I never knew what it was to be alone, no  
>'Cause you were always there for me<br>You were always home waiting  
>But now I come home and I miss your face<br>So smiling down on me  
>I close my eyes to see<br>And I know you're a part of me  
>And it's your song that sets me free<br>I sing it while I feel, I can't hold on  
>I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me<br>I carry the things that remind me of you  
>In loving memory of the one that was so true<br>You were as kind as you could be  
>And even though you're gone<br>You still mean the world to me  
>I never knew what it was to be alone, no<br>'Cause you were always there for me  
>You were always home waiting<br>But now I come home and it's not the same, no  
>It feels empty and alone<br>I just can't believe you're gone  
>And I know you're a part of me<br>And it's your song that sets me free  
>I sing it while I feel, I can't hold on<br>I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me  
>I'm glad it sets you free from sorrow<br>But I'll still love you more tomorrow  
>And you'll be here with me still<br>All you did you did with feeling  
>And you always found a meaning<br>And you always will  
>And you always will<br>And you always will And I know you're a part of me  
>and it's your song that sets me free sing it while I feel, I can't hold on<br>I sing tonight 'cause it comforts me_

**One Day Later:**

MacTavish sadly told his good friend and commander, Price that he had to leave and he just couldn't take it anymore. He promised to be back in a week to take out Makarov and saying that if he killed the slimy bastard before he could see it, he just might kick his ass. Price smiled at the comment then gripped the man's arm as he turned to leave.

"But, before I can let you go, you have to tell me why Makarov was so persistent on killing Melody. Her name and picture was on the top of the list instead of your or mine. I know Melody told you. Crazy girl knew how to keep a secret." Price said looking at him.

MacTavish sighed and placed his hands in his pockets as he sat down in one of the chairs of the briefing room.

"It happened about five or more years ago, when we were trying to hunt down Al-Assad. Melody was still a Sergeant and was given orders to find one named Kingfish. They thought he might've been planning something secretively. They had her go to a small town in Russia and find a woman and her son. There Intel told them that Makarov was keeping it a secret that the two were his wife and child. Although, after a while the woman, Emilia, had stopped even caring about him after he joined Zakhaev and practically abandoned the two. Well, Melody told me that she had the orders to kill both Emilia and the boy, Ivan. Though she didn't want to, she did. Makarov found security tapes and found out that Melody had killed them in the square and has been sighting out revenge on her for years. Unfortunately, he succeeded." He said adding a glare at the last part of the story.

Price didn't show any emotion except for a slight furrow of his eyebrows. MacTavish looked at him for moment then stood up and began to walk away from the man with a muttered good-bye.

**Almost One Day Later:**

MacTavish pulled the hood of his jacket over his head as he made his way to his old home that he hadn't seen in years. He wondered how surprised they would be to see him here. He carried two black duffle bags towards the door and hesitantly raised a fist to the door and knocked twice.

He grinned as he heard his sister's old familiar voice from the living room. "Mom, Door!" There was a pause then a shuffle of feet and he heard her voice again. "Sorry, flashback. Thought I was ten reading those old magazines again." She called back to her mother was in the kitchen.

MacTavish held his breath as he heard the doorknob turn and he saw his little sister's brown eyes, small, proud nose, and thin small eyebrows on her face that brought back so many memories of his childhood. She was petite and wearing the usual Saturday evening wear of her pajama bottoms and loose T-shirt. She looked up at him with a dumb-founded look then jumped up and threw her arms on her older brother's neck.

"John! Oh my God! You're back!" She squealed happily.

He then saw his mother come from the kitchen with a smile. He smiled at her and she nearly cried with happiness. His mother, Jamie, ran over and hugged her son.

"Oh, John! It's so great to see you!" She cried placing her hands on each side of his face.

"You too, Mom." He said smiling down at the woman.

She then punched him in the arm once with a slight glare. "Now that you're home, what have you been doing? I have seen your face all over the news for murdering a General? You have so much explaining to do, Jonathon." She said crossing her arms.

He sighed with a grin as the three went into the kitchen and he explained the whole story about General Shepherd's betrayal and murdering two of his own soldiers, and friends

"That's awful…. He sounded like a dick." His sister said in her British accent.She was adopted from a British family when she was about a month or two old.

MacTavish chuckled at his sister. "Yeah, the biggest." He said with a grin.

Jamie rolled her eyes at the two. "John, I was wondering if you still had that old engagement ring. You know the one I gave you as a reminder." His mother asked placing a hand on her son's hand.

MacTavish's happy smile faded slowly as he remembered why he had thought to come back in the first place. Melody would've wanted him to see his family since he hadn't in five years.

"I don't have it anymore." He said taking a drink from his glass to avoid talking.

"What do you mean you don't have it, John?" She said arching an eyebrow.

"It's a very long story." He said hoping to avoid any way of talking about Melody with his mother and sister. He wasn't sure if he was quite ready to really talk about it with anyone.

"I have five years' worth of time." She said crossing her arms on the table.

He sighed and tried to think of how to start his story with Melody. "Well, how do I start? About six or so months ago, my commander, Captain Price, was assembling his own little army against some of the government armies since General Shepherd's acts branded us as traitors. Well, we were recruiting one Sergeant, Eric Foley, at his wedding and Price unknowingly recruited an old friend of his. Her name was Melody Johnston." He smiled at the memory. He chuckled once and continued his story. "There's so much I can tell you about her, but that would take another five years. She was a captain for the Marines and after she was disavowed from her squad because she was caught helping and talking to Price and refused to turn us in. They had tried to kill her, but she got away and regrouped with us at the wedding. Well, Price gave her her own squad and two or three months of training were in progress. She was a really good friend by the time she had decided to go to New York to find her family. Well, I ended up in going with her to New York and I realized, after dreaming that Makarov had killed her after the story she told there, that I loved her. I guess I was fortunate enough that she returned those feelings. We went through some missions through our relationship until I sort of proposed to her. She accepted; I was so happy." He said remembering the warm and overjoyed feeling when she said she would've loved to marry him.

"Aw congrats, Bub!" His sister, Jessica said touching his arm. "When will we meet her?" She asked with a proud smile.

"You won't. " He said looking down at his cup underneath him.

"What do you mean, John? Did she call it off or something?" Jamie asked placing a hand tenderly on top of his.

He scoffed at her words. "I wish she called it off. Would've been a million times better than what really happened. We went to Prague a couple of days ago in hopes of assassinating Makarov. We failed and somehow Makarov had known of our attack and planted bombs in the tower that Melody and one of our comrades, Yuri, were waiting. She got caught in the blast trying to help Yuri get out of the tower and fell through a lot of wooden panels. She suffered a lot of bloodloss and a ripped lung. She didn't make it and passed away in a Resistance Safehouse. I kept the ring on her finger." He said unable to say anymore.

Jamie looked at her son with pity deep in her eyes then reached over and quickly threw her arms around his neck in hopes that he would feel safe or comfort even if he dared not admit it.

"I am so sorry, John. I'm sure she's happy now. Especially if she lost friends before, she doesn't feel any pain anymore.

He nodded a couple times then just looked back at the table as she released him from her protective arms. He thought about her words.

'_She doesn't feel any pain anymore.'_


	25. Chapter 25: Taste of Revenge

**Becca and Rachel Price:**

Becca stood in her old room that was kept the way it was. Even her red plaid T-shirt still hung over her desk chair. She smiled at the room and stroked her soft, warm blanket on her bed that had blue and pink butterflies on top of it and her plush animals were placed on every hard surface that could be found. She picked one up, a purple turtle. She remembered Melody calling it a turtle on steroids. She laughed to herself once and placed it back on the desk.

"Becca! C'mon, I want to show you something!" She heard her mother, Rachel, call from the living room.

Becca left the room that held so many laughter-filled memories with Melody and placed her hands in back pockets as she began to walk down the long hall to the living room. She looked over and saw her mother's aging face and her messy red hair tied in a loose bun on the back of her head as she held a brightly colored box in her hands.

"Consider it a welcome home present and late birthday and Christmas gifts." She said handing the box to her daughter.

"Mom, you know you didn't have to get anything for me." Becca said holding the box and looking up at her mother's smiling face.

"I know, I didn't buy it. I had it in my closet for years and though it was about time I dug it out." She joked as Becca laughed once and opened the box.

She pulled back the ribbon and lifted the box that covered the gift inside. Becca gasped softly as she saw an old golden locket with a small red gem in the middle.

"It was my grandmother's. She gave it to my mother when I was about your age, when I was months into dating your father, so I thought it was about time I gave it to you. Do you like it?" She said looking at the old locket and brushing back Becca's long curls.

Becca smiled. "Of course, Mom's it beautiful! I actually think I remember you wearing this when I was younger." She said taking the delicate chain in her fingers and looking at the sparkling gem in the light that shone above them.

"Well, put it on!" Rachel said taking the chain in her hands.

Becca grinned as she held back her hair and sat with her back to her mother. Rachel threw the chain across her chest then latched it on the back of her neck. Becca slowly turned then stood up and walked over to the large mirror on the wall. She examined herself in the mirror and smiled.

"You look beautiful, sweetie." Rachel said hugging her shoulders.

Becca smiled and continued to examine the locket on her chest.

"You know, you kind of broke a tradition." Rachel said placing her index finger and her thumb across her chin with furrowed eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Becca asked as if she committed a crime with a hurt look in her eyes.

"My grandfather placed it on my grandmother's neck. John put it on my neck. And _I_ was forced to put it on your neck. Where is your man?" Rachel asked with a smile.

Becca just laughed. "Years in the future." Becca said with a grin.

"You're just like your father. He said the same thing to me when I met him. I had to make the move instead of him. Although, you see how well everything turned out when I made the first move." She said playfully pointing at her chest.

Becca arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, ya got hitched had me nearly five years later and now you're living happily ever after hundreds of miles away." Becca said sarcastically.

"Hey, Rebecca. You watch it, he's been fighting since you were two years old and since then he's been so busy. You be happy he was there when you were seven. You never would have met your old friend Melody. How is she doing now a days, sweetie. I haven't seen her since she tried to run away from her father when she was fourteen. Poor girl was terrified when she saw headlights on the walls. She reminded me of those girls in those horror movies you used to watch. Still can't believe I actually let you watch them." Rachel said slightly scolding herself.

Becca slowly walked over and sat down on the couch, hands folded, with sad frown as her smile faded.

Rachel looked at her daughter's face and wondered if she had said something wrong. She pushed back Becca's hair and hugged her shoulders. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" She asked looking her grief-stricken face.

Becca sighed then looked up to her mother. "Melody passed away, Mom. Killed in Prague nearly a two or three days ago. They're holding a memorial service for her in the military graveyard in the town she was born in. We told her family yesterday of the news. Melanie sounded so terrible. It was like I told her she had two days left to live. I feel so awful. Melody was my best friend; I wasn't there when it happened." Becca said, regret choking her voice.

Rachel hugged her daughter tightly as tears started to slightly blur her vision. She stroked her daughter's hair and muttered words of comfort. "It's alright; there was nothing you could've done. It's alright."

After a while, Becca had stopped crying and wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

"Well, to get matters off sadness, who is this Michaela boy you talk about?" Rachel asked trying to make her daughter a little happier.

"What?" Becca said nervously looking up at her.

"I heard you talking in your sleep last night when you completely crashed on the couch. It was either Michael or Dunn. Or both." Rachel said trying to remember what named she had said.

Becca's cheek burned bright red as she recalled her dream of Dunn. "Um, it was nothing really." She said nervously standing up and began to search in her bag that was still by the door. Her red hair curtained her face as she nervously searched through her bag.

"Looking for this?" Rachel said holding a small rectangular purple book with a small glittering word on it. 'Diary'.

Her light blue eyes widened in shock. "Mom!" She said jumping up and running towards her mother.

"I've told you and your father a million times; if you don't want me to read it, hide it!" Rachel said as Becca took the book from her.

Rachel smiled and leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed as Becca flipped through the pages to immediately see if there was anything embarrassing she had written.

"So… Dunn has dreamy eyes and a soft side?" Rachel asked with an eyebrow arched.

Becca nervously smiled at her and nodded slightly knowing she wouldn't stop until she got her answer.

**Three Months Later:**

MacTavish had returned to Price nearly a week later after visiting his mother, sister, and father; along with Becca. They had gone multiple missions to save the Russian President's daughter and the Russian President. Fortunately, they were able to save both, but were unable to save some of Price's friends (MacTavish jokingly thought that Price had a lot of friends) Sandman, Grinch, and Truck. In the three months they had managed to clear their names and they noticed that after a while, things actually began to settle down somewhat. MacTavish had grown to hide that he was still suffering without Melody, but sometimes at night he dreamt of her. The only time he could see her was in his dreams. As he sat in the living room of his apartment, he began to think of his previous dream.

_MacTavish stood in the middle of a large meadow that was full of numerous colored flowers and bright, lively green grass that swayed in the wind. He looked down at the white T-shirt he wore and his light blue jeans. He noticed he was completely clean and his skin almost shone in the beaming sunlight. He then turned as he heard a loud and melodic giggle come from behind him. He then saw a small form dancing around and skipping from every lily to a different spot in the meadow. Her long bouncy brown curls danced along with her body as she wore a knee-length spotless white cotton dress and was barefoot. Her chocolate brown eyes twinkled with peace and happiness and her small square teeth were revealed in an ear-to-ear grin. _

"_Hey, what is this place?" He called out to the little girl._

_She gasped silently and stopped her dancing. Her brown eyes showed some fear, but quickly faded away and she smiled at him. "I know you! Mommy told me everything about you! Mommy! Mommy, come here!" She said jumping up and down happily and began running off towards some unseen place and drug out a tall, brown headed woman with matching chocolate brown eyes that had a smile on her face and wore a long shin-length white dress on. MacTavish's heart raced as he looked at the face of the woman and realized why the little girl looked so familiar. It was her, Melody. He thought of how beautiful she looked, she wasn't stained in dirt or blood like she was when he last saw her alive. He looked down at the hand that was gripped in the small girl's hand. He smiled as he saw the shining diamond ring still on her finger. _

"_See, Mommy! It's him! Wait… You don't think he's…" The little girl said a little wary and looked over at MacTavish._

"_Are you dead? I really really hope not!" She said looking at him with identical warm brown eyes as he mother beside her._

"_I don't think so… Melody? Is that really you?" He asked stepping towards her._

_She smiled and ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck. He began to laugh as she busted out in a wonderful laughter that he just had to join in. "I've missed you so much, John!" She said looking at his face and placing a hand on his cheek._

"_I've missed you too, Mells." He said staring into the dark brown eyes that had haunted him for months but now brought him so much joy._

_Melody stood on her toes and kissed his lips. He closed his eyes for a moment as he continued his long-desired kiss with her. When he reopened them, he looked around with a terrified face. The atmosphere changed around him. Everything was dark and dreary. The beautiful flowers he stood under had wilted and the bright green grass was nothing but dead and changed into a hay-like meadow. The bright blue sky had shifted into dark thundering clouds and black sky. He heard a low sound come from behind him. He turned as he saw figure standing over the same small girl that was with Melody. The dark figure was coal black and gloomy as it hovered over the small girl._

"_Hey! Get away from her!" He called out and began running towards her; feeling a sudden protective presence come over him. Well, the girl was his daughter; dream or not._

_The figure turned to him and he looked into the dark brown eyes of Melody Johnston. She was pale white and her lips were coal black. Her long and usually wavy brown hair turned into long straight black strands that looked moppy and wet. She wore a long shin-length dress like her white one but was covered in dirt and blood and slowly changed into a grey T-shirt and long jeans. Much like what she was wearing before the Prague mission. Her cold dead lips stretched into a smile._

MacTavish jumped from his bed with a start as Melody lunged for him. When he noticed it was just a dream was when he couldn't get his mind off it. That's why he sat on the couch with a faraway look as he stared at the TV. He didn't pay attention until he heard Melody's name from the reporter.

'Members of the Task Force, led by Captain John Price and Captain John MacTavish who were interviewed months later, still grieve for the loss of their many lost fellow squad mates including Sergeant Gray Sanderson, Lieutenant Simon Riley, Captain Melody Johnston and members of the Delta Force who are known by their call signs besides Staff Sergeant Derek Westbrook, Isaac "Sandman" Kincade, Jack "Grinch" Davis, and Jesse "Truck" Dierks. Almost three months ago, a memorial service was made for the brave people that had sacrificed their lives for the duty of their home and their nation. Back in New York, Task Force members came by to pay their respects to Captain Johnston. Though, some find it strange that Captain MacTavish was nowhere to be seen during the event until the next day. No one is sure what has happened to those heroes, but many send wishes that they live happy and long lives. In earlier news, we cross-bound to the Rose Garden where the President is holding a press conference with the Russian Premier, Vorshevsky, to formally announce an end to the hostilities.

"On this historic day, the representatives of two great nations stand before you united…" Began the U.S. President.

MacTavish turned down the volume then grabbed his jacket as he began to walk out the door. He stopped for only a second when he looked over to see the picture he had torn from his field journal, the picture he had drawn of Melody on her first day at the base in her white jacket and long brown hair blowing in the wind. He smiled at it as he picked it up.

"Let's go make some history." He said to the non-living Melody.

He grinned then placed the picture back on the end table and walked out the door.

**Two Days Later:**

"There's a simplicity to war. Attacking is the only secret. Dare, and the world yields." Price said as he crossed out many pictures and sticky notes on Melody's old schedule mission board. "How quickly they forget that all it takes to change the course of history- is the will of a single man." He continued circling around the main objective in the middle of the board; Vladimir Makarov.

After a moment or so, Price picked up a phone beside him and dialed a number into the phone. He waited for a second until he heard the voice on the other end.

"Who is this?" Answered the gruff voice of Makarov.

"Prisoner 6-2-7. I'm coming for you, Makarov." Price said looking at his crossed out picture on the board with a glare.

Makarov scoffed at the old man. "Haven't you heard Price? They say the war is over." He said in a daunting tone.

"My war ends with you." Price said coldly as he looked over at the group of pictures placed in the memory of Melody with a hateful glare as he remembered how the girl died.

Another scoff came from Makarov. He seemed to be amused with the fact that Price was still so determined to get revenge not just on Melody, but everything disastrous thing that had happened in his reign of terror. "Like it ended for Captain Johnston? Tell me, Price. How painfully long did it take her to die?" He said in a menacing voice.

Both MacTavish and Price had heard the man's words in the still room. No one said nothing as Makarov continued he small speech.

"I've destroyed your world piece by piece. We both know it's only a matter of time until I take that precious little family of yours. It's only a matter of time until I find you." He said.

Price boiled with anger and coldly spat out at him. "You won't have to look far…"

He was glad the only ones that remained to fight with them were MacTavish and Yuri. Everyone else had left after the deaths of the Delta Force, including Becca, Dunn, Foley, Ramirez, James, and all the others. Nikolai still remained with them though they told him he didn't have to stay behind. They were ending Makarov this time.

**January 21****st****, 2017**

**Captain Price, Soap, and Yuri**

**Task Force 141**

**Arabian Peninsula**

Price looked over at Yuri who was securing his Juggernaut armor and Soap who was completely protected in the armor and waited for their final stop.

They could hear the shouts and screeching of tires behind the doors of the truck they drove in as security guards and some of Makarov's mercenary shouted at the truck doors. "Step out of the vehicle!"

"You sure this armor will protect us?" Yuri asked glancing at Price and Soap.

"It'll buy us time. Nikolai, are you patched into their system?" Price asked Nikolai.

"Working on it. My Arabic's a little rusty."

MacTavish scoffed. _'The only time when you wish Melody was here to show off her crazy language skills.' _He thought to himself.

The three jump slightly as they hear bullets crashing onto the metal doors just feet from them. "Fire!" They heard one of the guards call out to the others.

"Looks like they know we're here." Yuri scoffed placing the helmet on his head, gun on his lap.

Price then picks up the helmet by his side and looks at the video feed Nikolai had uploaded showing Makarov inside the hotel's atrium.

"I've tapped into their security feed. Makarov's in the atrium on the top floor." Nikolai advised, while the other looked at the same feed.

Price nodded once then looked at the two. "This is it. Makarov doesn't leave here alive." He confirmed taking the large and heavy PKP Pecheneg in his arms on locked it ready.

"Get ready." Price said as Yuri and Soap both locked their guns. Price then stood up, Yuri and Soap following his moves as Yuri stood closer to the door.

"This is for Melody." Price said as Yuri crashed his shoulder against the doors causing them to fly open and were immediately met with the heavy gunfire from the guards waiting for their retreat from the truck.

**A/N: I know it kinda sucks, but I was trying to do this quick. But, let me know what you think and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

**P.S. (The names for Sandman, Grinch, and Truck aren't real. I just added them for, oh I don't know, creative maybe? I'm not sure, but they're not their real names. Whatever they may be.)**


	26. Chapter 26: Final Chapter

Price, Yuri, and MacTavish slowly moved along as they fired at the scattering guards, who, in seeing their armor, began to retreat since they knew they wouldn't be able to stop them in that armor. Some still fired on them in attempts to weaken their armor though it led to an easier target for the three. Clearing the road, they began to slowly make their way towards the hotel.

"We've got their attention. Second wave of responders will be coming any moment." Price said to the two beside him.

As he said this, a hidden mercenary came up to Yuri, but before he could make a move, Yuri beat him down and shot him once, releasing dozens of bullets into his body. Price looked up as he heard a low rumble then saw the large and bulky forms of two SUVs onto the road.

"Here they come, right on schedule. Shoot the cars!" Price ordered.

The three of them raised their heavy guns towards the vehicles and began releasing hundreds of bullets at them. After a moment, the vehicles finally took fire and blew up before them and caused havoc on the mercenaries. They fire on the three, but their armor protects them from the small caliber bullets flying towards them.

"Makarov's got a small army in there." Nikolai said after a moment of continuous firing and abandoned cars catching fire and exploding.

"It won't help him. Take control of the lifts so he can't escape." Price said.

"I'm on it.

They continued to fire upon the mercenaries and guards both, completely determined to reach Makarov and finally end his reign for everyone. Clearing the area, they moved closer to the turnaround at the base of the hotel. They looked up to see more SUVs drop off more mercenaries.

"Don't let up!" Price called out to the two.

"RPGs! Second floor!" Yuri called out after Price.

Spotting the men with the larger weapons on their backs, they quickly took them out and continued to push through the surrounding enemies. Then a flood of civilians came running from the hotel and out into the base of the hotel.

Once the civilians scattered away, Price then contacted Nikolai. "Nikolai, where's Makarov?" He asked glancing up towards the sky then back on the guards inside the hotel.

"Still in the atrium, but he's on the move!" Nikolai said showing them another video feed of Makarov beginning to leave the atrium above them.

Price nodded and turned to the two. "Don't lose him! We're almost there." He said to Nikolai.

They slowly made their approach towards the escalators, passing the clear glass walls revealing tons of water and fake fish behind the glass. The hotel was like another five-star hotel you would guess to be. Clean –except for the newly added splash of blood and empty magazines and dead bodies- spotless and waxed floors that you could almost see your reflection in and tall columns holding the upper floor above you straight. Though, it would've been much nicer and inviting minus the fact that once again, the dead bodies and blood and the shouting guards and the three tall men with menacing juggernaut armor on and without ease, taking out the mercenaries and the guards. Yuri spotted a group of hostiles began to approach them and sprinted down the escalators.

"Hostiles by the escalators!" Yuri advised the other two behind him.

They easily took them out and began to move slowly up the unmoving escalators.

"Up the escalator! Nikolai, we need control of those lifts!" Price said glancing at the two.

"I've almost got it!" He said in a voice that was almost impatient and stressed.

Price could easily pick out the emotion in his voice and scoffed slightly to himself as they approached the floor above them and met the large group of hostiles ready for the armed and dangerous men.

"Push forward!" Price yelled as they began firing upon the mercenaries.

After a moment of continuous gun-blazing and screams from the mouths of the hostiles, both orders and dying screams, they heard Nikolai's voice appear in their ears.

"Okay, I've got control of the elevators. Sending them down to your floor." Nikolai said with a slightly relieved tone. He felt a small burden off his shoulders that he was able to bypass into the controls of the elevator and send them down to Price and the other two from his location.

There was no reply to his advising as they began moving towards the lift across the room; with the room clear of Makarov's men or guards. The three enter the lift on the right, which began to make its way to the atrium above them and closer to Makarov. Each of the three shared a deep passion to finally end the monster of a man, Makarov. Not just because they lost Melody and many other brave team mates to him, but what he had done to the world. The White House sent in flames along with the whole capitol, millions of innocent people, even children like the one they had found on the camera in London, killed in cold blood, the Eiffel Tower broken and fallen, and the most memorable day when he led a terrorist attack on the airport just months earlier. All he had caused and all he was going to be ended for. Once and for all.

Their thoughts were interrupted when Nikolai began to show them a video feed of Makarov with a group of hostiles above them. He knew they were coming for him.

"Makarov's moved to the restaurant, same floor! He's got a large security detail with him." Nikolai warned in a slight wary tone.

"What kind of opposition is waiting for us?" Price asked noting the wariness in his voice.

"Forty-plus foot mobiles! SMGs and Assault Rifles." He said as if he was reading them off with a stern voice.

Price nodded then turned as they all heard the distant sound of helicopter propellers in motion outside the glass walls of the elevator, where you could see outside the dark sky of the hotel and the many lights of the town far off from their location.

"Enemy choppers closing on your position." Nikolai advised looking at the feed from his screen.

Price saw one chopper as it caught his attention, from the corner of his eye. He saw it begin to fly in a different direction then the other. He noted that it was flying higher above them and out of sight.

"One is heading for the roof, probably going for Makarov." Price though aloud as Soap and Yuri watched one fly up and began firing at the three. Soap cursed under his breath and pulled his gun from underneath him and towards the chopper.

"Shoot it down!" Price yelled as he pulled out his own gun and began firing upon the chopper that was leveling in with them. "Keep firing!" He yelled again.

They slightly tense as the chopper began to fire its rockets but misses them on account that the bullets flying at it slightly messed with his aim as the chopper resisted to obey the pilots control. Price aimed at the chopper and fired, taking out the heli's rotor. Unfortunately, the uncontrollable helicopter began to veer towards their lift.

"Look out!" Price yelled as the wild chopper collided with the elevator, resulting in slamming Price and Soap onto the floor. They were then engulfed in flames that licked up and down their armor. A slight scream could be heard by Yuri as he immediately went to ripping off his pads and helmet. Soap crawls out from the debris and follows the action. But, Price was unable to get out from the armor so Yuri came over and started to remove the armor from his body. Once they were all in their regular clothes and armor, Yuri placed a finger to his ear to contact Nikolai.

"Nikolai, we need another lift!" He nearly yelled at the man.

Nikolai was somewhat surprised at the voice instead of Price, but nodded to himself and immediately began to send another lift towards them; glad they had actually survived the chopper attack. "Copy, on its way." He said watching his screen.

The three then gripped onto something as they feel the elevator floor beneath them shake under their feet. Soap glanced between the two and looked over at the lift that had stopped beside them. Yuri looked at the same lift having the same idea as the Scottish man and pulled his gun from his side and shot the glass of the other lift, took a step back, and jumped to the other lift. Soap followed along with Price. Price wasn't as accurate with his landing as the other two as he held onto the edge of the lift and slowly pulled himself up with the others. They watch the burning lift beside them began to fall from the rockets and missiles and the fire damage. Price then pulled out his M4A1 w/ ACOG Scope as the lift continued its way up to the top floor.

"Makarov's chopper just touched down! He's heading there now!" Nikolai suddenly said loudly in their ears from his video feed beside him on another screen.

"He's not getting away!" Price said with a glare as he thought of the coward trying to escape.

"Be careful, they're setting up barricades." Nikolai warned, matter-of-factly.

The only noise between the three was the small ding from the elevator as it counted down from 27 to T. They tense as the doors began to slowly open and Yuri reached for his vest and pulled out a frag grenade and tosses it from the doors. A moment later the grenade exploded and they then sprinted from the elevator to the group of hostiles meters away from them. Price watched as Yuri ran around without going for cover. As if he was still in the juggernaut armor.

"Watch yourself, Yuri! Your armors gone." Price said to the man.

Soap couldn't help but scoff at Yuri then broke off into another part of the floor to clear out the room as the same with Yuri and Price.

"Multiple threats to your right." Nikolai advised as a group of guards appeared.

"Keep pushing forward." Price yelled as Soap disappeared from the two as he went through a different room from the two clearing out the hostiles there.

The three, scattered in different directions, clear out each room full of Makarov's mercenaries and made their way around the atrium as they rapidly came to the hotel restaurant.

"He's still there! You've almost got him!" Nikolai called out from his location.

Price looks out towards in the restaurant and almost immediately spotted the inky, messy black hair and form of Makarov begin to sprint towards a stairway. Price felt a snarl pull at his lips at the man, if he could be considered one.

"There he is!" Price called out, the hatred for the man evident in his voice.

Just as said this, a helicopter appeared from outside the restaurant windows. Price wondered then where Soap had gone to as he called out to watch out for the chopper.

"Rockets!" Yuri yelled as the chopper then began to fire upon the hotel side of the restaurant floor. In result of the blast, the columns that supported the floor blew up and caused the floor to begin to tilt and cave in. They watched as everything in the restaurant, tables, chairs, décor, and all began to tip over and roll out of the building. Price then felt his feet become unstable with the floor beneath him and he stumbled and began to slid down and roll out with the rest of the décor. He looked for anything to grab ahold of and spotted a steel reinforcement pole sticking out from the fall and hung on as he felt his weapons fall from his vest and out of the building. He cursed under his breath then attempted to crawl up from the debris as the chopper began to leave for the roof. He knew he had to get moving and immediately if they were going to end him. One second could be one second too late. He then again wondered what happened to Soap, but then let the thought dissolve as he spotted Yuri before him, wounded by a piece of rebar impaling his chest. Price looked at the man for a second. Months ago, he would've been fine to find the man in such the predicament, but now as he looked at him. He couldn't help but pity him and found himself wanting to help him. He had remained loyal to him even though he was so cold to him and harsh. He watched as the thoughts swirled around in his head that he thought of Yuri as a friend now. Yuri struggled to pull the bar from his chest as he lay in his own blood, grunting at the pain at each tug.

"Yuri…"Price then said after a thoughtful moment.

Yuri just shook his head at the man's words and the arm that reached out towards him. "Leave me! Don't let him get away!" He said waving him off.

Price nodded once, collecting his thoughts and stood up and began to sprint towards the roof.

"Makarov's heading to the roof!" He heard Nikolai suddenly in his ear, penetrating his thoughts.

He ignores a reply to him but continued to run up piles of rubble and up the stairs after that, taking every amount of strength he had to push himself forward to his desired target.

"He's dead ahead. Keep running!" Nikolai screamed, tense with the scene before him.

Price then scrambled his way up another pile of debris and made it to the helipad on the roof. He looked over and glared as he saw Makarov swiftly boarding the chopper as it began to take off. Price then used every inch of strength he had and sprinted towards the leaving chopper. Just as he reached the edge of the roof, he forced himself towards landing skid of the helicopter and throws his arms under it for better support. He then pulled himself up and climbed up to the cockpit where he could see the pilot and the co-pilot looking over at him. The pilot attempted to kick him, but Price quickly blocked his blow and reached up and punched him and gripped his collar as he launched his body out and he saw it fall towards the ground beneath them. He then climbed in the cockpit as the co-pilot quickly pulled out his pistol but once again, Price blocked it, causing the shot towards the control panels. Price then pulled out his knife and stabs him in the throat and pushed him out the side as his blood came from his neck and onto his hands. Remembering the blasted control panels, he grabbed ahold of the joystick and began to yank on it, hoping to gain control of the wild chopper. But the chopper resisted and refused to respond to his command. The chopper began to spin out of control and Price prepared for impact as it crashed onto the roof of the hotel.

A moment after the crash, Price slowly opened his wearisome eyes as he looked down at his reflection on the cracked glass of the roof, also looking down to see the hotel below him. Remembering what had happened earlier, he looked up to see the crashed and burning chopper meters away from him, then out of the wreck, stumbled an injured and broken Makarov. As his hear picked up a pace, Price reached out for the pistol and crawled towards it. Makarov also saw the pistol and began to move towards it, but stumbled from his injuries. Price finally reached the pistol and placed a hand on top of the handgun, but Makarov managed to stand up and stomped his foot on his hand. He slowly bent down and took the pistol. He pointed it at Price's face and looked up at him.

"Goodbye, Captain Price." He said with a smug smile.

Before Makarov could even pull the trigger, two shots rang out and hit his left shoulder. Price looked over to see Yuri, one arm across his chest where he had successfully pulled the bar from his chest. Makarov reacted differently to seeing his former friend stand before him. He turned the Desert Eagle on him and shot him three times, once in the right shoulder, another in the left, and finally ending him with a shot to the head. Price then felt all his anger boil up inside him and cause him to snarl at Makarov. With an amount of time, he heaved himself from the ground and threw himself on Makarov, causing him to fall to the ground. Price was sick and tired of losing his friends and team mates to this monster. He knocked the Desert Eagle from his hand and began to punch him twice in the face, causing blood to escape from Makarov's mouth. He punched him once more than spotted a cord lying beside him on the glass. He took the cord and wrapped it firmly around Makarov's neck twice. He then pressed his hands harder against his neck to the glass, struggling a bit more, then he hooked the cord around into a noose and with one final, forceful push, he pushed Makarov through the glass, resulting in breaking the glass as they both fall into the hotel once again. Price stares at Makarov in the face with a delighted grin as Makarov yelled out in anger. Price then let go of his shoulders and fell down to the atrium floor. AS the broken glass falls down with him, injuring him some, he looks up as the cord began to tighten around Makarov's throat and he hangs there, instantly choking the murderer. His legs uselessly swing about as he struggled around the cord on his throat, but then he grows immediately limp. Price, exhausted but triumphant, watches as Makarov's body swung around in a circle lifelessly. He grinned uncontrollably at the sight and crawled away from the edge of the floor in victory. Though he knew it wouldn't last very long, but he could almost feel peace. Maybe it was just the triumphant feeling of finally giving justice to deaths of so many friends and comrades they had lost along the way in defeating Makarov. Kamarov, Melody, Sandman, Grinch, Truck, and now Yuri; he felt as though they had an amount of justice on their deaths with the ending of Makarov's life. For a moment, he couldn't help but remember a certain "conversation" he had with Makarov nearly a year ago.

"…_I'll see you in hell." Makarov had said shortly after Soap and Price had learned of Shepherd's betrayal._

"_Looking forward to it. Give my regards to Zakhaev if you get there first." He had replied with a cocky grin._

Price scoffed as he remembered the time. 'You win.' He thought as he looked once again at Makarov's dead body.

His thoughts were then interrupted as he heard Soap's voice via earpiece.

"Price? Yuri? Are you there? Where are you two?" He demanded in a wary voice.

Price chuckled at the man. "Price, here. Good news and bad news. Bad news; Yuri's gone. Makarov killed him when he was trying to kill me. Good news; Makarov's gone. He's finally gone, John." He said using his first name happily.

There wasn't a reply straight away from him, but Price laughed as he heard a shout of joy come a moment later from Soap after he processed the information he got from Price.

Price then pulled out his cigar from his pocket along with his lighter. He struck it once and again when the first attempt failed. As he continued to watch Makarov's body dangle in the air, he puffed on his cigar with a smile in victory. Maybe things will be peaceful. That is, until another psychotic man came along willing to take his place; and God forbid he be more dangerous than Makarov. He decided not to think about that at the moment and just let his mind blank and relaxed. He felt as though he hadn't done that in years.

**End of Won't Back Down**


End file.
